Raymond Ekevwo, a student-athlete at the University of Florida, U.S., on Thursday said that his 2020 Olympic qualification would not deter him from being focused and hardworking.
Ekewvo, who ran 10.02 seconds at the South Eastern Conference (SEC) Championships in May, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that he needed to work harder to ensure he became a world-class athlete.
The qualification standard for the 100m men and women are 10.05 seconds and 11.15 seconds respectively.
“The key thing for me is to continue to be focused and hardworking, that has always been a major part of my life.
“I know that I have to work 10 times harder than most people out there to become a world-class athlete,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the South Eastern Conference includes universities across the South and Mid-South in the 11 states that span from South Carolina to Texas.
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The Criminology major student said that he was grateful for his qualification, as it was every athlete’s dream to participate in the Olympics.
“It’s every athlete’s dream to go to the Olympics, so, I am grateful and excited about the qualification.
“Nothing is going to change for me though, I will keep doing what I have always been doing, live life and try to stay in shape,’’ he said.
Ekevwo, a 2016 Nigerian 100m junior champion, said that it was both interesting and tough being a student-athlete, saying that he was grateful to the school for trying to make things easier.
“Being a student-athlete is interesting but it’s tough. The University of Florida provides a platform to ensure that student-athletes get organised and stay organised,’’ he said.
Reacting to where he sees himself in the next five years, he said, “I don’t know where I see myself; the future will speak for itself. I’m just focused on what’s in front of me right now.”
Also reacting to his success in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships, he said that he tried to stay healthy and trust the system.
“I tried to stay healthy and trusted my coach the whole season. I did not really have any target in mind because I knew that if I am healthy, I will be able to pull some strings,” he said. (NAN)
