Adekunle Fasasi’s decision to pull out from the World Indoors paid off as the quartermiler stormed to his second Personal Best (PB) within the space of a week, returning a time of 45.43s at the 2016 Pepsi Florida Relays on Friday, April 1.
The Nigerian would be relieved that his good fortune was no April Fool’s prank, even as he looks forward to hitting the Rio 2016 Olympics qualifying mark of 45.40s. Dontavius Wright was 2nd in 45.68s while Alfred Larry placed 3rd with 45.94s.
The University of Florida Freshman’s impressive time is the leading mark in the NCAA. Only last week he clocked the 7th fastest time in the world when he ran a PB of 45.76s at a meet in Los Angeles, erasing his former mark of 46.21s set in 2014.
His new time when ratified, should place him among the Top 3 in the world. This also makes him the fastest Nigerian quartermiler this season.
He said, “I’m just grateful and glad that I’m getting closer to the Olympic mark. My impressive form has been as a result of prayer first of all, and then good training.
“Moving away from Nigeria has exposed me to better training facilities and higher competition even right from practice here. I train with strong and fast guys everyday. This is University of Florida where nearly everyone is a star -fast!”
Fasasi says he is now reaping the reward of his coaches’ decision to let him sit out the 2016 World Indoor Championships in Portland:
“I may have been tired to compete last weekend if I had gone to Portland, and that in turn would have affected this weekend. Coach got a plan worked out and it’s working fine”, he said.
Photo Credit: Florida Gators Tack and Field and Cross Country.
