2022 Africa 400m hurdles bronze medallist, Wiseman Were has attributed his qualification to the semifinals at the Paris Olympics to his mental resilience.
Were placed fifth in Heat 4 of the men’s event on Monday morning in 48.58 seconds to book his slot in the semis.
Roshawn Clarke of Jamaica (48.17), Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel (48.38), Wilfred Happio of France (48.42) and Italy’s Alessandro Sibilio (48.43) took the top spots.
“Racing at the Olympics demands mental readiness. I was well-prepared mentally for this challenge,” Were remarked.
He also credited his meticulous preparations before the Olympics for his qualification.
“My preparations before the heats were instrumental in seeing me through. I was able to run in 48 seconds which is a huge step for me,” he added.
His time in Paris is only six microseconds away from his personal best of 48.52 set in June at the Nyayo Stadium.
Were, along with sprinters Ferdinand Omanyala (100m) and Zablon Ekwam (400m), had set up their training camp in Miramas, Southern France, to fine-tune their preparations for the Olympics.
Were expressed his excitement about advancing to the semifinals set for Wednesday at 8:51 pm Kenyan time.
“The race was very competitive. Every athlete was pushing to get qualification for the semifinals,” he said.
Looking ahead, Were is optimistic about making it to the finals on Friday.
“My next target is to qualify for the finals. The field is strong, but I believe in my chances,” he added.
Looking ahead, Were is optimistic about making it to the finals on Friday. “This is my first Olympic appearance, and it is a huge honour to fly the country’s flag,” he said.
Were aspires to emulate Boniface Tumuti, who clinched a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics with a time of 47.78, just behind USA’s Kerron Clement (47.73).
