Jobodwana turns to Europe to try and secure Olympic qualification

South African sprinter Anaso Jobodwana insists that his hopes of qualifying for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games are still intact. Although the 2015 World Championship 200m bronze medalist is yet to nail the qualification standard he believes that he will do so during one of two league meetings in Germany later this month.

This comes after Jobodwana's last 200m race in South Africa at an Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) meeting in Pretoria on Saturday, ended up in a fracas between himself and the technical officials. The former national 200m record holder thought he had clocked 20:36 as the clock indicated. But his time was revised to 20:64 which left him furious.

Jobodwana in action at London 2012 where he reached the 200m finals. Photo Credit: Roger Sedres.

"There was no way that the time I made was 20:64," explains Nike sponsored athlete. "The clock stopped at 20:36 for goodness sake. Then afterward they call me to tell me that the time has been revised. They tried to explain but you could see that they can't come with a solid explanation," said the 28-year-old Eastern Cape-born Top Runner.

He says he saw the progress from that run and believes starting the season late affected him badly. "But I'm happy with the way I ran. That was a fast race and I know when I have ran fast. I can see the progress in me now and I feel positive again. To start a season late did cost me but I'm coming slowly to my shape again," he said.

Jobodwana was chosen to model Team SA's new Maxed Elite kit which they will wear at #Tokyo2021. Photo Credit: Team South Africa.

The man who reached the 200m final at London 2012 is relying on history to repeat itself in order to represent his country at a second Olympics. He aims to make his German trip fruitful so that he can nail down the time before the qualification window closes at the end of the month.

"I have been here before so I'm not worried at all," said a confident Jobodwana. "Going to London Olympics I qualified on the last month before the window closed, so I'm relaxed. But I can assure you that I will hit the mark to be on the plane to Tokyo. I can feel myself plus I would get enough competition there in Germany in those two meetings," said the man who is the owner of a 19.87 200m personal best set in The BIrd's Nest Stadium in 2015.

Jobodwana's first meet is scheduled for the 19th and the second on the 29th of this month in Regensburg and Berlin respectively. The Olympic qualification window closes on June 29.