I have only a one-time experience using the starting block (used in the Olympics), but I am motivated and challenged by thatJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian sprinter Lalu Muhammad Zohri spent his remaining time for practicing, adapting, and observing rivals before his race in the Summer Olympics' men's 100m athletics in Tokyo on Saturday (July 31).
Zohri revealed that one of his current areas of focus was to adapt to the starting block used in the Olympics while admitting that the blocks were different from what he was accustomed to during his practice in Indonesia. Despite the difference, he did not perceive it as an issue.
"I have only a one-time experience using the starting block (used in the Olympics), but I am motivated and challenged by that," Zohri noted in a release by the National Olympic Council (NOC) Indonesia on Thursday.
The 21-year-old sprinter is striving to demonstrate his maximum ability in his Olympics debut. He has also set a target to be the first Indonesian sprinter to complete a 100-metre run in under 10 seconds.
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Zohri recorded his personal best time of 10.03 seconds in the 100m run in the 2019 Golden Grand Prix in Osaka, Japan. The achieved record guaranteed Zohri's position to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The sprinter has spent time in light-intensity exercises and practice sessions since April 2021 and attended a test event at the Tokyo Olympics Stadium on May 2021. During the test event, he finished in the seventh place in the final run, clocking a time of 10.45 seconds, slower than his first round when he had recorded a 10.34-second run.
"I am currently healthy and fit and also no longer have any ankle issue," Zohri noted in connection with his recent ankle surgery after an injury in November 2020.
Zohri will compete in the men’s 100m preliminary round, scheduled to take place at the Tokyo Olympics Stadium on Saturday (July 31), with the final round to be held on the following day. Related news: Athlete Irawan's historic achievement sets example for youth: DPR
Translator: M Ramdan, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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