SOUTH African junior athlete, Sokwakhana “Socks” Zazini, has raised an important concern that competing in three events at the IAAF World Junior Championships at the same time will ruin his chances of winning any medal.
The 18-year-old Tuks Sport High School Grade 12 pupil, will stick to his specialised 400m hurdles event and the 4x400m relay event and dump the 400m heat at the event scheduled for 10-14 July in Finland.
Zazini, who made waves at the Youth IAAF World Championships in Kenya last year when he picked up a gold medal in the boys’ under-18 400m hurdles, is expected to set the scene alight in Finland.
He is busy preparing for his mid-year examinations, while he has one eye on the eagerly awaited competition.
Zazini said: “I’m not going to Finland just to make up the numbers. I’m a winner, but I won’t do an individual double anymore. I’m pulling out of the 400m because it will ruin any of my chances of winning a medal.”
Zazini is ranked number one in the world in the 400m hurdles.
Zazini said: “I would rather be safe than sorry. I don’t like taking chances. It will be too much for me if I double up. The world champs is about winning titles and not record best times. This event is a big deal for me. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it.
“I get nervous, but I can handle both school and career. I’m not a loser but a fighter.”
