Look who's here

16/09/1998

NAMIBIA'S Frankie Federicks is finally in Kuala Lumpur and his presencewill give the Commonwealth Games century sprint a genuine competitivelook. Fredericks, who arrived at dawn from Johannesburg yesterday, immediatelytook up the gauntlet for a 100m duel that could crown the fastest man ofall time. The long-time 30-year-old African champion decided to skip his favourite200m to start in the 100 against the two men with the fastest times thisyear. "I'm confident of winning the race, especially with Donovan Baileymissing from this year's Games," Fredericks said after a workout at theNational Stadium. "But there's someone to push me, so it's nothing to worry about." That someone Fredericks referred to could be Barbadian rival ObadeleThompson or Trinidad's Ato Boldon. Until Fredericks' 11th hour decision to fly to KL, the blue riband 100mhad been threatened by the absence of a star-studded field. But the field still lacked a genuine contender, someone like the injuredBailey, now is the fastest man alive with the world record of 9.84s. Fredericks pulled out of the Games last week because Namibian PrimeMinister Hage Geingob suggested a Namibian boxer with a minor world titlewas the nation's best sportsman since Fredericks had never won a goldmedal. Delicate negotiations with team officials saved the situation and sawFredericks back in the green, blue, white and red of the southern Africannation. "I am here to try and win a gold for Namibia. I owe it to the people.Not so much for myself," said Fredericks, the reigning Commonwealth Games200m champion. The decisions of both Fredericks and Thompson to run delighted Boldon.He agreed the stiff competition - Thompson has the year's second fastest100 run (9.87s) after Boldon (9.86s) - made for a better race. What a mouth-watering prospect when they line up in their respectiveheats today. More so for Malaysia's Watson Nyambek, who will have Fredericks,Australia's Matthew Shirvington and Fiji's Jone Delai for company in Heat5. Watson, who won a silver at the Asian Track and Field championships inFukuoka, Japan in July, has 10.30s to his credit and will no doubt beeyeing a place in the next round. The Malaysians are not expected to mount the podium, except perhaps forYuan Yufang in the women's 10km walk scheduled on Saturday. But their participation will give them the opportunity, which otherwisewill be hard to come by, to take a giant step forward in their athleticscareer.