As a world-class sprinter South African 200m record-holder Anaso Jobodwana is a seasoned racer but he is in a race of a different kind, to be fit and ready for the Rio Olympic Games in August.
Eight months since his last competitive race, and the world bronze medallist is undergoing rehabilitation for osteitis pubis, inflammation of the pubic bone of the pelvis.
With less than three months to go before he has to line up at his second Olympic Games, Jobodwana is surprisingly calm about his race against time.
Jobodwana first experienced the abdominal pain at last year’s Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo, and when it did not seem to dissipate, it was decided he should return to South Africa from his base in the United States to receive rehabilitation.
“Because of the people I am around, I am not really concerned and the people I spoke to that has been in this position before,” Jobodwana said.
“Even though I’ve never been in this position, and I should be panicking but I believe in myself realistically. 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.”
Jobodwana received some words of encouragement from American world 110m hurdles record holder Aries Merritt, who launched an inspiring comeback of his own.
Merritt underwent a kidney transplant in September after he won the bronze medal at the Beijing World Championships.
“I spoke to Aries Merritt and I explained to him the doctor told me I was done for the season and he told me ‘man, don’t listen to that doctor, I had a kidney transport after the world champs and I am training right now and I am in good shape’. ‘You are capable of doing it, just keep fit, and listen to your body, and you still have it’,” Jobodwana said.
Jobodwana admits the initial prognosis from the doctor reduced him to tears but instead of wallowing, he has been motivated by the faith fellow athletes and medical staff have expressed in his comeback.
“When I sent the email to Sascoc and the doctors they said I should come home and we will fix it here,” Jobodwana said.
“For me having those talks with the doctors, Aries, Obadele (Thompson) and just being home and seeing that people still believe I can do it instills confidence and almost a sense of responsibility in me.
“Every time I go to the gym or the track, I feel I have a greater purpose to be training. You can’t really mope about things because it doesn’t do anything for anybody.”
It can be argued Jobodwana has been the protagonist of South Africa’s sprinting revolution racing in the 200m final at his maiden Olympic Games in London four years ago.
He boasts with the rare double 100-200m gold from the 2013 World Student Games in Kazan, Russia.
For his encore, Jobodwana blitzed to a new South African record of 19.87 seconds to finish third behind former American world champion Justin Gatlin and world-record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica at the Beijing World Championships.
Jobodwana was taking a measured approach to his rehabilitation, and while he is unable to do full sprint sessions, he was improving in other aspects to be ready when he finally gets into the blocks.
“I am not really worried about everybody else is doing, I am concerned with what I have to focus on now because I am running against time,” Jobodwana said.
“I am in this space doing everything I can to maximize the little time I have. I am not doing intense training right now but I can still do visualisations of my races.
“I can replicate all the things that comes with training so that by the time I get to Rio I don’t step into an arena where I am out of my league. Coming from World Championships I know I am capable of doing that.”
Jobodwana hoped to run his first race in July depending on how well he responds to rehabilitation and full-on training once he is back in race mode.
Independent Media