BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, Aug 2 – Although no one knows what’s up the sleeves of little-known Kenyan Sprinter Samuel Imeta, his intended race plan will definitely play out when the 100m semifinals get underway at the Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium tomorrow.
Imeta ran a personal best of 10:12 in today’s heat but candidly admitted his best is yet to come.
“I think people don’t know who I am. I did a 10:25 at the World Championship qualifiers and a 10:27 at the Mauritius Africa Championships.”
“So I am ready to prove to Kenyans what stuff I am made of at this juncture. I will not predict the semis for now but then again I have to say that it’s a closely guarded secret with my coach,” he expounds, adding that better days are coming.
Imeta says he’s feeling good and determined to attack in the semis.
“First of all, I would like to thank God for this far I have come Running a personal best in the heats is such a good feeling. Quite a shame that I was not able to qualify for the World’s. But in the semis, it will not be business as usual for my opponents,” Imeta went on.
Asked how he was able to hack it in the heats, Imeta narrated : “I had a good plan, had enough rest I knew I was going to make it through when I looked at the start list. Tomorrow, the runaway should be clear for the plane to land! I will give it my all.”
Imeta nevertheless believes Omanyala has inspired a whole generation of sprinters in Kenya and set the benchmark for all and sundry in his 100m specialty.
“In Kenya, we never knew we would make it in sprints given our long and middle distance dominance but when Faddy (Omanyala) tracked the blaze, it has become apart of our lives.”
“I urge my fellow Kenyans to continue to train as hard. We also have talent in spirits. So everything will come through with hard work.”
“The Weather situation is good in Birmingham. The track is good. Mauritius was kind of challenging owing to the rainy weather,” Imeta, who anchored Kenyan team to the 4X100m Relay African gold, said.
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Birmingham, United Kingdom-
