Jobodwana on mission
FORMER Selborne College sprinter Anaso Jobodwana looks set to blitz his way to his third 200m Olympic qualifying time at the 2012 African Senior Athletics Championships in Porto Novo, Benin.
Jobodwana is part of a 75-member South African squad, which will take part in the event starting from June 27 until July 1.
After running qualifying twice in the United States, the 19-year-old will be looking for his first qualifying time on African soil.
The US-based sport administration student said he was only focused on improving his time at the 18th African Championships.
“All I’m focusing on at the moment is improving my time. I’m really looking forward to the African Champs and the challenge the conditions will bring,” said Jobodwana. “Training has been going well since I got back home. I’m feeling stronger and hungrier every time I get on the track.”
Jobodwana is currently going through his last preparation phases with his longtime coach Johan van Greunen in Port Elizabeth ahead of the African Champs. Greunen, who is a full-time professional athletics coach, congratulated Jobodwana saying: “He has done exceptionally well considering that we are not together on a fulltime basis. It’s such a pleasure working with him, he sets himself very high standards and does what is needed of him with me or alone.”
The speedster first qualified on April 14 when he clocked 20.32sec and followed with 20.50sec in Slovenia last week.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, the King William’s Town-born Jobodwana said after obtaining his second qualifying time, he knew his work was not done.
“When I clocked my second qualifying time I was really happy and proud of myself but I felt like I still had to qualify at home,” said Jobodwana.
“My first qualifying time was taken as my home qualifying time seeing that I couldn’t travel back to compete in the Yellow Pages Series due to school commitments.”
The former Dale Primary pupil is one of the four South African 200m sprinters.
Simon Magakwe, Thuso Mpuang and Lebohang Moeng, who have all clocked their qualifying times on home soil, are yet to obtain their overseas qualifying times after successful campaigns at home.