A fortnight after torching the Nyayo Stadium track to crack a new national record, Kenya’s 400m hurdles sensation Wiseman Were has vowed to vanquish his rivals in Budapest.
During the Athletics Kenya (AK) National Championships on June 23, Were beat the world qualification time by two seconds after breasting the tape in 48.52 to secure a place on the Kenyan plane to the Central European nation.
In an interview on Wednesday, the assiduous athlete admitted he pounded the track extra hard during practice to punch a ticket to the Hungarian capital.
The Commonwealth Games 4x400m relay bronze medallist reaffirmed his intention to lead the country to unparalleled heights in the premier annual global showpiece.
“I put enormous effort into practice to attain the qualifying time. I’m glad that I finally realized my dreams after 14 attempts,” Were remarked.
“I must say I ran a remarkable race because I have previously only managed to run 49.00. I recorded a 55.00 in my first race, so you can see how far I’ve come in my exciting journey,” Were said.
Were, 25, exuded confidence a trip to Budapest would catapult him into further global limelight. “I’m overjoyed because I now have a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate my abilities on a big stage in front of a large audience. This will most likely lead to more opportunities for me,” Were stated.
Were said he has stepped up training to place on the podium in the global spectacle scheduled for August. “August isn’t that far away, so I want to keep putting forth my best effort in the meanwhile. I just need to work on my speed and I’ll be fine,” he remarked.
He has experienced an amazing season thus far, kicking off his hunt for honours in Pretoria on April 12, where he posted 49.23 seconds to clinch the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Grand Prix.
He ran 49.29 seconds to wrap up in third place at the Botswana Grand Prix before finishing third in Johannesburg with a time of 49.78.
During the Kip Keino Classic on May 13, Were clocked a meet record of 49.59 seconds to bag the men’s 400m hurdles race in yet another mesmerizing on-track show of dexterity.
He believes that the remarkable outcomes of his races have given him the confidence he needs to assert authority over the distance for the remainder of the season.
“I had a commendable performance; my speed and skill were superb. I intend to replicate the performance and bring about the desired results in Budapest,” Were said.
“The ASA Grand Prix and Kip Keino Classic races offered me some crucial lessons. Competing against some of the best sprinters in the world and winning while posting good times boosted my self-belief.”
The sprinter underlined the necessity of tight collaboration between all parties, stating that achieving the ideal heights in sprints necessitates a concerted effort from everyone associated with the sport.
