World champs incentive for sprinter
Athletics New Zealand has dangled a huge carrot in front of teenage sprint sensation Edward Osei-Nketia.
The 17-year-old, who attends Scots College in Wellington, has been conditionally selected for the world athletics championships in Doha, Qatar, starting in September, providing he confirms his allegiance to New Zealand and satisfies selection conditions.
A trans-Tasman tug-of-war has played out after Osei-Nketia, who was raised in Canberra, starred at the Australian track championships in Sydney last Saturday. He clocked 10.19 seconds in the semifinal and 10.22 seconds in the final to win the senior men’s 100m title.
His stunning semifinal time was just 0.02 seconds off former Kiwi rep Chris Donaldson’s PB, and edges him closer to the New Zealand all-time record of 10.11, held by Osei-Nketia’s father, and coach – Gus Nketia.
Osei-Nketia’s new personal best makes him New Zealand’s fourth fastest runner of all-time and the eighth-equal fastest runner in the world this year.
Osei-Nketia wasn’t included in Australia’s squad for the world relays in May, which would indicate he is leaning towards representing New Zealand internationally.
He is included on the conditional list with eight other Kiwi athletes: Camille Buscomb
(5000m), Zoe Hobbs (100m and
200m), Olivia McTaggart (pole vault), Angela Petty (800m) and Hamish Kerr (high jump) Brad Mathas (800m), Zane Robertson
(10,000m), and Nick Willis
(1500m).
The athletes, who have been conditionally selected, have until the end of the qualification period (September 6,2019) to secure their place in the team by meeting the conditions of their selection.
Athletics New Zealand has chosen to announce conditionally selected athletes at this early stage, allowing athletes and coaches time to plan and prepare to compete in the Doha environment (assuming the conditions of their selection are met).