Jobodwana fighting to be fit for Rio

Published Jun 28, 2016

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Johannesburg - Attributed for kickstarting South Africa’s sprint revolution, Anaso Jobodwana, is in the fight of his career to be fit in time for the Rio Olympic Games.

Jobodwana has emerged as one of the country’s best ever sprinters after making it to the London 2012 Olympic final before winning the world bronze medals in Beijing last year.

As a 20-year-old Jobodwana surprised by making it into the Olympic final in London finishing in eight place in a race won by Jamaican icon Usain Bolt.

The following year he proved he was not a mere flash in the pan by winning a rare 100-200m double at the World University Games before finishing in sixth place at the World Championships in Moscow later that year.

Jobodwana’s dream of winning an Olympic medal received a massive blow after he was diagnosed with osteitis pubis, inflammation of the pubic bone of the pelvis.

While Jobodwana was back in training in Phoenix after a rehabilitation stint in South Africa, it was no guarantee that he would be ready for the Rio showpiece in August.

‘’You can’t really mope about anything, it doesn’t do anything for anybody, it is testing is also testing me to see what kind of character I am,’’ Jobodwana said.

‘’If I am just that person that is going to give up without trying, I don’t want to associate myself with that kind of person.

Jobodwana was following a program by legendary American sprinting coach John Smith, who guided the likes of countryman and former world-record holder Maurice Greene and 2007 World Champion Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago.

Although he is South Africa’s fastest qualifier in the half-lap sprint with his national record of 19.87s, Jobodwana will have to prove his fitness to be selected for the Games.

It is unlikely he would be in action in any race before the Games which would make it difficult to gauge what kind of shape he would be in going into the showpiece.

Jobodwana believed he could still mimic what he would be doing in a race while in training which would give him a good idea of what type of form he was in.

‘’In terms of my training, it is intense to the point where I can feel my race model, maybe tow to three times a week,’’ Jobodwana said.

‘’I can maybe replicate it twice a week, I can try and get close to maximum speed as possible,’’ he said.

‘’You can run a 200m as fast as possible in training…I feel like I get more comfortable when I get closer in training to this sub-max environments so it really worked for me.’’

While it is not certain whether Jobodwana would be ready for the Games, Jobodwana said he would willingly step aside to open an opportunity for other athletes.

“Even though I’ve never been in this position, and I should be panicking but I believe in myself realistically,’’ Jobodwana said.

‘’If I feel I won’t be able to do it I won’t go, if I am not in the shape that I feel I can win a medal then I will not do that.”

Should Jobodwana withdraw from the team it would open the door to junior sprinting sensation Gift Leotlela, who posted a qualifying time at the CAA Southern Region Under-20 Championships in Lusaka, Zambia this month.

National 100m record-holder Akani Simbine and teenager Clarence Munyai were the other two athletes that have posted qualifying time over the half-lap sprint.

Independent Media

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