Jobodwana in action for SA in Moscow
“I’m pretty sure that if I keep on working and make sure that I correct the flaws that I have then I can probably get down to under ten seconds at this moment,” said South Africa’s leading sprinter on the eve of the World athletics championships, which commences in Moscow tomorrow morning.
If he achieves that mark Anaso Jobodwana will be the first South African under that barrier and by Sunday night will have probably fought his way into the final.
The 20-year received a massive confidence booster when clocking 10:10 in the World Student Games in Kazan, Russia for the first of his sprint double, but realizes that this is a step up to another level.
“ I don't know if this will take me to the final, but the focus for me is to take each round as it goes and working on my personal best,” said the USA-based student.
Over the past six championships times faster than 10.04 have earned a place in the blue ribbon final, and the fastest time for a bronze medal was Asafa Powell’s 9.84 seconds on the blue Mondo track of Berlin’s Olympic stadium.
On that occasion Usain Bolt ran a world record 9.58 seconds, and Tyson Gay hit 9.71 for silver.
Four years on the track is again a fast running Mondo blue, it’s another Olympic stadium and again Usain Bolt is seen as firm favourite, but both Gay and Powell have been eliminated on doping allegations.
Daegu (2011) saw Yohan Blake take over the 100m crown, but even this Jamaican has been sidelined, promoting Justin Gatlin as the only, if not a distant contender for an on-form Bolt. Gatlin ran second to Gay for a season best of 9.89 in June, but Bolt’s controlled progression over his last three races already puts him on 9.85 but there are no obvious bronze medal contenders and as Bolt’s false start in 2011 proved, ‘anything can happen in the final.’
If anything this has posed a challenge to Jobodwana, whom many consider has a stronger medal potential in the 200m.
“I’ve been debating (about dropping the 100m in Moscow) for some time now but my coach has said that I should just take it (the 100m) and just build from it, because there’s lots of things I can do in the 100 just to improve it and it will help my 200m,” said the 20 year old who was a surprise 200m finalist in London Olympics. “The 200m will always be the main one, but the 100m will help with fixing (flaws) in the 200.”
With a tough collegiate competition in America and the sprint double gold at World Student games has certainly given the 20 year old an edge, that will deliver his objective of personal bests at both distances, and in the unique circumstances of Moscow 2013, it may be more that South African records that reward Jobodwana as he commences his journey at 18:15 (SA time) on Saturday night.
Akani Simbine joins Anaso in the 100m qualifying rounds tomorrow, while Willem Coetzen starts his two day Decathlon challenge, Andre Olivier should be a safe qualifier to the semi final in the 800m, and Stephen Mokoka takes on the might of Kenya, Ethiopia and Britain's Mo Farah in the 10,000m
Tanith Maxwell will try to outrun the heat and humidity in the womens marathon at noon (SA time) and 40 year old Chris Harmse in his fifth world championships, will be stretched to get a place in hammer final.
(File Photo:Gallo Images)
- ECR Sportswave - Norrie Williamson
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre