OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 7.00pm.
NAMIBIAN sprinter Frank Fredericks gave the thumbs up to his All Africa Games (AAG) participation here on Monday, saying he is over the worst of the back problem which forced him out of the world championships.
Fredericks, silver medallist in both the 100m and 200m in the last two Olympics, said he would be taking part in the 100m and the 4x100m relay.
He added he was not yet certain about the 200m – the event in which he won the world championships in 1993 – because he still experiences discomfort running the bend. “I’m over the injury, it took a week,” he said of his recurring sciatic nerve complaint which occurs in the lower back.
Fredericks, who has struggled with the injury for a couple of years, ran the 200m at the IAAF Grand Prix final in Munich on Saturday, finishing fifth in 20.26sec behind Claudinei Da Silva of Brazil in 19.89 and American Maurice Greene in 19.90.
“I’ll do the 100m and see how it goes,” he added. “The relay, I’m definitely going to do that because we’ve got a young team who are as keen as hell.
“Hopefully I can take back a medal or two back home,” he said.
Fredericks believes the Games are a vital showpiece for the continent.
“I’m very happy to be here. I think this is a very important Games for Africa to show the rest of the world we can put on a showcase of this magnitude,” he said.
“I could have called it a day for the season after the World Champs, but I believe this is as important as the Olympics because this is for my continent. They’ve always been at the top of my calender.”
The athletics competition begins at Johannesburg stadium on Tuesday with the 100m.
The relay will be held after the 100m final on Wednesday evening and the 200m begins on Friday.– AFP