LIGHTNING LUKE!
Teen track star Luke Davids bolted into the history books with his gold medal win at the Summer Youth Olympics
HE HAS the world at his fleet-footed feet. Young and ambitious, he has all the qualities of a winner – and he’s only just getting started. Seventeen- year- old Luke Davids is the fastest young man in the world this year after claiming gold in the 100m sprint at the recent Summer Youth Olympic Games held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The teenager reached the finish line in a wind-assisted time of 10,15 seconds.
His time would have equalled the under-18 world record set by American Anthony Schwartz in March last year, but because the wind reading was 3,4m/second it couldn’t stand as it was over the legal limit of 2m/second.
But that did nothing to dampen coach Standing proud on the podium at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.
TBY THOLAKELE MNGANGA Nathan van Wyk’s delight.
“We’re overwhelmed by what Luke’s achieved,” the 39-year-old tells YOU. “He’s worked hard for this so I’m extremely happy and proud.”
As for Luke, he’s stunned by his result, Nathan adds. “He told me words can’t describe how he feels at the moment. It’s a dream come true for him.”
Luke is still out of the country when we catch up with his coach, who discovered the young star when he was 14 and running on the track at the University of the Western Cape.
Then one day Nathan noticed the boy wasn’t training as usual.
“I know his parents (Liz Davids and Andrew Janse) and they told me he’d taken up rugby.”
Determined to see Luke develop on the track, Nathan encouraged him to take up the sport again and started coaching him in 2015.
“From there, everything has been upwards.” HE sprint sensation was born and raised in Belhar on the Cape Flats and is in Grade 10 at Parow High School.
He has an impressive medal haul, including bronze in the 100m junior event at the SA Championships last year.
This year he won the 100m and 200m
Sjunior events at the SA Champs, took gold in the 100m at the African Youth Games and finished second in the 200m – before heading off to Buenos Aires where he scooped the glorious gold.
“The feeling of being the fastest young man in the world and being No 1 is amazing,” Luke said on Team SA’s official website.
His current official personal best time is 10,31 seconds in the 100m.
“He can most definitely go faster,” says Nathan, who’s a three-time SA champion in the triple jump.
“When he left for the Games I told him we’re not chasing times, it’s all about the title. So he’ll definitely go faster.”
Young Luke is already being compared to Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt.
“But I’m very different,” he said after the race.
“He isn’t me and I’m not him. We have different personalities. I try to focus on my goal and what I have to do. I don’t think much about comparing myself to him.”
Even though he’s found success on the track, Luke is still just a normal teenager and has his final Grade 10 exams coming up.
He’ll keep Luke’s feet on the ground, Nathan promises.
“He’s the talk of the town but he’s also a humble guy. Things don’t go to his head quickly.”
The track star hopes to duplicate his success at the 2020 IAAF World U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.
And if he continues at the same pace, the sky will be the limit.