By ADRIAN MWANZA
ZAMBIA’S sensational runner Sydney Siame has been ranked the fastest runner in the world.
According to the latest ranking by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Siame is ranked first from athletes who have competed as of April 13, 2017.
The 19-year-old now holds the record for the all-time second best African sprinter behind Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasuba, who ran 9.85 seconds at the Qatar 2006 World Championships.
Siame broke the record last weekend during the All Comers Meet after timing 9.87 seconds in 100m to became the only Zambian to race in less than 10 seconds.
“I am humbled to be ranked first in the World’s number one after setting a new national record during the All Comers Meet. This is down to hard work and this will even make me work harder in the upcoming races,” he said in an interview yesterday.
Siame said his focus would be to improve his personal best time most especially that he
would be racing the best on the globe during the World Championships.
SIAME
He said he wants to face the best in the business and would not be intimidated competing against the likes Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin.
“At this level I am not scared of names like Bolt because we are almost at the same level. I want to come back from the championships with a medal,” he said.
The Zambia Amateur Athletic association (ZAAA) applauded Siame on his achievement and extended the congratulations to seven other athletes that have qualified for the London 2017 Wold Championships to be held in August.
ZAAA president Elias Mpondela said association is pleased that the Podium Performance Programme (PPP) partnership with the Ministry of Sports is beginning to yield intended results.
“I am overwhelmed we are rewriting history as an association by producing top- notch athletes within the country. It has never happened before on Zambian soil, now we can rejoice because for the first time we have eight athletes going to represent Zambia”, Mpondela said in a statement.
Mpondela expressed hopeful that the runners would compete for medals and not mere participation.
He called on the corporate world to come on board and help the association in preparing and camping of athletes.
