Wiseman Were: Why Olympic insights fuel hopes for future 400m hurdles success

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Wiseman Were: Why Olympic insights fuel hopes for future 400m hurdles success

Festus Chuma 14:42 - 16.08.2024

Wiseman Were leverages Paris Olympics insights to enhance his training for the upcoming World Championships qualification.

Kenya’s 400m hurdles sensation Wiseman Were has set his sights on leveraging his Paris Olympics experience to secure a berth at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships.

Were’s journey at the recent Olympics concluded in the semifinals where he delivered a performance that narrowly missed securing him a spot in the final round.

Despite not making it to the final, Were took away critical insights from the competition.

“I pushed myself to reach the semifinals and learned a lot about self-belief, perseverance, and the importance of a strong mindset in global competitions,” he shared with The Star.

This experience, according to Were, has prepared him to face the stiff competition expected at the upcoming world stage.

The 26-year-old athlete believes that fine-tuning his timings is crucial for standing toe-to-toe with the top hurdlers globally.

“Now I know the times I need to be running to compete against the very best athletes in the world,” Were added.

His current personal best stands at 48.52 seconds, a time he achieved at Nyayo Stadium in June 2023.

However, the qualifying mark for the 400m hurdles at the World Championships is set at 48.50 seconds, which Were came tantalizingly close to during the Paris heats with a time of 48.58 seconds.

The competition in Paris was fierce, with USA’s Rai Benjamin clinching gold in 46.46 seconds and the likes of Norway’s Karsten Warholm and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos filling out the podium.

Were’s fifth-place finish in his semifinal heat, clocking 49.22 seconds, did not dampen his spirits but rather fueled his resolve.

Reflecting on the hurdles he faces ahead, Were acknowledges the rigorous preparation required to meet the World Championships standards.

“There is still a lot of work I need to put in place, but I am confident the experience I gained from Paris will help me as I prepare to meet qualification for the World Championships,” he remarked confidently.

Were’s aspirations follow in the footsteps of the late Nicholas Bett, who clinched a gold medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2015 World Championships.

The qualification period for the Tokyo World Championships spans from August 1, 2024, to August 24, 2025, giving Were ample time to hone his skills and achieve the required standards.

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