Jobodwana not ready to give up
Top SA sprinter acknowledges he has been thinking about quitting
One of Mzansi’s most prolific sprinters, Anaso Jobodwana, says that even though he was contemplating quitting, he has now reconsidered.
He says he is now focused on getting his career back on track. This after he failed to reach the final of the 200m at the national championships in Cape Town last week.
The 29-year-old finished fourth, clocking 21.23 in the 200m semifinals in the Mother City. He is struggling to get his mojo back and racing against time to qualify for the upcoming African Championships in Mauritius in June, the World Championships in the US in July and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, in August.
He is currently in Botswana trying to qualify and yesterday he raced against some of the top sprinters in the world. The Botswana international meeting is a big-time event and Jobodwana took to the track against redhot Clarence Munyai and Isaac Makwala as well as world-class Jamaican sprinters.
“In training, it seems to be going well but I cannot put it together in a race. I am trying to figure that out with my coach,” said Jobodwana after his disappointing fourth-place finish.
“I have thought about quitting. I am not going to lie and say I have not. But it’s based on circumstances. I am not in the best situation right now and track and field is a sport where time runs past you very quickly.
“Last week was an emotional outburst. Those kinds of things happen after a bad race. My coach is in the US and so is my son. I am trying to figure out when I can get there and it’s one of my main struggles right now.”
Meanwhile, big guns Carina Horn, Prudence Sekgodiso, Gift Leotlela and Munyai are chasing qualifying times for the coming games at the relay championships in Sasolburg.
The last chance to qualify is at an event in Cape Town on May 21 and they do not want to leave qualification till too late.