was when I ran the 200m and qualified for the final. I wasn’t going to do the 200m when I came to the games but then I just decided to move away from withdrawing and just ran. A personal best (20.37) and a final came out of that, which was also totally unexpected.
In terms of the 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games, some sport journalists have said that the only runner who ran a faster leg than you was Usain Bolt. How do you feel being compared to him?
Well, yeah, of course, that’s a very proud moment for me because other than running against Bolt, we also got the national record (38.35). I also heard about that [referring to the previous statement of Bolt being the only one to run faster than him] and just being compared to Bolt is an honour. He is a legend in the sport and I’m being put in [the same] sentence as him. That’s pretty awesome, but also shows me that with more training and work, I can get up there and put pressure on the guy.
Do you have any aspirations for Rio 2016 and do you think that with the current young crop of South African sprinters, we can expect great things from South Africa?
Just qualifying for Rio is an aspiration within itself but more than that, I feel like I want to get into the finals for both 100m and 200m and also the 4x100m relay because once you’re in the final anything can happen. We can also most definitely expect great things of the young guys coming up because we have more sprinters running fast and not just times that are considered fast in SA, but internationally. If we can get the right support and just put in the hours, then great things can come from the South African team.
If you could thank anyone for contributing to your success, who would it be and why?
First and foremost, God. My coach Werner Prinsloo, my family and friends because they are a great support structure, my manager Peet van Zyl, Tuks, HPC Pretoria and Adidas.
Lastly, what does the future hold for you?
I just want to keep getting faster, stronger, being one of the fastest in the world and getting closer to my dream.
Image: youtube.com
