WINDHOEK: Namibian sprinter Gilbert Hainuca became the second Namibian male athlete ever to run under 10 seconds, when he put up an impressive performance at the Athletics Namibia National Championships held at the Independence Stadium.
The 100m and 200m sprinter on Saturday posted his first sub-10 second run, making him the second fastest man on Namibian soil to run that time in a 100m event.
Hainuca won the men’s 100m final with an impressive time of 9.86 seconds at the weekend’s AN national championships here.
On 03 July 1996, Namibian Olympic silver medallist Frank Fredericks clocked a time of 9.86 seconds in Lausanne, Switzerland, which has remained the national record for 28 years. His time was matched by Hainuca on Saturday.
On 18 May 2002, while competing in Nairobi, Kenya, Fredericks ran even faster, clocking in at 9.85 seconds. But this time did not become the new national record, as the wind was measured at +3.0 by the wind gauge.
In an interview with Nampa on Sunday, Hainuca who retained his
100m and 200m titles at the nationals expressed his joy over his achievement.
‘It feels great to have run that time. This event was approved by World Athletics, therefore I now need another event where I can prove that I can run that time again and then I can qualify for the Olympics,’ he said.
The national champion said he is hopeful that he will get a race probably in Europe so he can make his sub-10 record legal.
‘Hard work does pay off. As an athlete, I have to work hard, study and train, so I would like to thank myself for not giving up. I would also like to thank my coach, Letu Hamhola for always believing in me, and the Vugf family for their unwavering support. Credit for my success should also go to my parents, friends, and other family members who have always been there for me, providing a helping hand and support whenever I need it,’ he said.
Hainuca stated that he felt confident when he stepped on the track and used all he had learned at training to execute a good race.
Source: The Namibia Pr
ess Agency