Fasuba on a fast lane

The youngster shot into a relatively quiet prominence at the Afro Asian games in India after showing promises at the Nigeria University Games (NUGA games) and the West African University games.

In the beginning
Athletes from twenty-nine universities in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal had converged at the 11th West African University Games in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, December 10-21, 2003.

Fasuba, who represented Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, won the 100 meters in 10.15 seconds, considered one of the games finest performers.

Fasuba ran the same time at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games in India.

Tough experience
As usual, life is not all rosy for a starter and after struggling to get a ticket to Europe, help surfaced through national athletics coach, Tony Osheku and Fasuba dreams started looking achievable.

Osheku took him into his wings and gave the soft talking athlete all the moral and inspirational supports he needed to greater heights.

“I was going through the IAAF list the week before his debut indoor race in Germany and I could not find a Nigerian under 6.60 I was down and contacted Fasuba on what to do on his first indoor” says Tony Osheku.

“He responded brilliantly and I must confess that was one of the great things I have seen in my life” he told Nigeriasports.com

Not too bad for a start
Fasuba 20, ran a stunning fast time in Karlsruhe (Germany), in his first indoor he ran 6.57 to win his heat and he placed 4th in the final with 6.65. Jason Gardner of Britain won the meet with 6.46 to equal the European record.

Strikingly, his 6.57 was the same as Olapade Adenekan's best time when he broke the indoor world record in the 100 metres.

“To be honest I was a bit jittery being my first indoors. I never knew I could achieve such a great feat and it only spurred me further to go all out in my next outing”

“The feeling inside me was deeply emotional and I was to some extent contented with my performance” he told Nigeriasports.com

That performance shot him into the fifth position on IAAF list for 60 metres and attracted the biggest managers and agents, with Tony Osheku putting a word for him once again.

“I got him a German agent by the name Walter Abmayr who is also managing Doris Jacob and Chinedu Odozor who I introduced to Europe last year” says Tony Osheku.

In the spotlight
He ran 6.50 in the 60 metres on February 27 in (Chemnitz) Germany - which is the third fastest time in the world this year for the 60 metres indoor.

The next day, whilst competing in another race in France he picked up an injury which reflected on his performance at the just concluded world indoor championships in Hungary. He could not advance to the semi finals with his 6.78 in Budapest.

Interestingly, Budapest is gone and Fasuba is back in Nigeria and he will take a week off before he resumes training for the summer outdoor season.

“Injury deprived me of my rightful place in Budapest but I think the future looks bright and that’s why I have to let the memories of the world indoors fade and give way to the promising future” he noted.

“I am more enlightened and confident of my ability now, and I hope to show that to the world in Athens”.

Record mark
Fasuba has endeared himself to pundits and athletes alike with his blistering pace this indoor season thanks to his 6.50

The fastest time in the world this year came from Jason Gardner of Britain with 6.46 and Shawn Crawford of the USA won the US trials with 6.47.

Importantly, Both Jason and Crawford placed first and second in Hungary with 6.49 and 6.52 respectively.

To be ranked number three in the world, the upcoming Nigerian is certainly not out of place in the big league and the story is just beginning in the life and times of Olusoji Fasuba.