Fredericks to scout for talent

The Frank Fredericks Foundation (FFF) intends to get the ‘Sprint Talent’ project, to identify future Olympic Games medal hopefuls for Namibia, up and running next year.

Speaking to Desert Radio this week the foundation’s founder and athletics legend Frank Fredericks said the organisation will embark on a nationwide effort to try to find talented sprinters and nurture them through the FFF programme.

“We need to make sure we find the next gold medallists among all those youngsters identified,” he said.

Fredericks, who was recently bestowed an honorary doctorate in sport management by the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), said it was pertinent that a deliberate effort to find and nurture talent is made.

“It is possible, and I definitely believe we have a lot of talent, but I think we really have to be more disciplined and work hard by believing that if you take it step by step, you will achieve. It’s not something that will happen overnight,” he said.

“I remember the days when I started. It was very difficult, but if you put your mind to it and make sure you do not misuse your talent . . .

“Not everybody receives talent in sport, but working hard and being disciplined would yield the required results,” Fredericks said.

Namibia and Africa’s most decorated sprinter says he was fortunate to have a mining company and a university behind him.

The sprint talent programme, a collaboration with the Welwitschias 77 Athletics Club and Nust, will be an initial step towards a similar path for the next generation of track stars.

Fredericks believes Namibia has an abundance of natural talent, however, maximising that talent has been a big challenge.

Success depends on several factors, he says, of which the most crucial are sacrifice and a professional mindset.

“I do not know how many girlfriends I have lost during my career, because I had to choose whether I am going to a club or going somewhere with them, or resting and working out the next day.

“Those are the choices you have to make, and if you make sacrifices for the right reasons, you’re likely to reap the rewards,” he said.

“We need to find a bridging mechanism so that we can support our athletes during the difficult times – especially when they have completed schools and university degrees. The nation must come together and nurture these athletes,” he said.

“That is where we need to bring in programmes and high-performance centres that will help athletes, or else it would be difficult for them.”

NUST RECOGNITION

Fredericks said Nust pleasantly surprised him earlier in the year with its plans to recognise him at the university’s recent graduation ceremony.

“They told me the proposal was approved, and it came as a shock to me, because as a sportsman, you go out there and do your best.

“Especially in my case. I was very fortunate that during my lifetime I had the opportunity to go and compete for Namibia, and to bring back medals. Many people before me did not have the same chances because of apartheid,” he said.

“It was nice and means even more being from an institution that is just around the corner from my mother’s house,” he said.

“It was one of the hardest moments as well. When I was competing in the Olympic Games, I trained hard for long periods to come to the finals and race against the best in the world, but the awarding ceremony was very emotional, as they started talking about my mother and all the mentors and people who carried me through and gave me chances,” Fredericks said.

“It was hard to stand there during the citation. I broke down a few times. It was really emotional seeing all those people cheering and chanting.”