Kenyan sprinter Zablon Ekwam faces top global contenders in the 400m heats at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Kenyan sprinter Zablon Ekwam will hit the track on Sunday, making his Olympic debut in the 400 metres heats at the Paris Olympic Games.
Ekwam, a surprise qualifier at the Kip Keino Classic, clocked a personal best of 44.69 seconds, securing his spot in a highly competitive field.
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The 400 metres race boasts an array of formidable athletes and Ekwam is set to face a stern test in heat six.
Among his challengers are Cheikh Tidiane Diouf of Senegal and Jevaughn Powell from Jamaica, who have shown exceptional form this season with times of 45.03 and 44.54 seconds respectively.
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Also in the mix is Gilles Biron from France and Charles Dobson of Great Britain, with the latter posting an impressive season best of 44.23 seconds.
"I was actually surprised because I had not planned to qualify at that event. For me, it was a massive blessing. I wanted to try and qualify this month but it came earlier than expected. I am very delighted to have qualified because it has been a long time before we had a Kenyan in that event at the Olympic Games," Ekwam expressed in a past interview, reflecting on his unexpected qualification.
Ekwam’s presence in Paris marks a significant moment for Kenyan athletics traditionally known for distance rather than sprint events.
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The competition stiffens with the presence of seasoned athletes like Alexander Doom of Belgium and Joao Coelho of Portugal, who bring robust personal bests into the fray.
Moreover, the broader competition includes heavyweights such as Matthew Hudson-Smith from Great Britain and Quincy Hall of the United States, both of whom have broken the 44-second barrier this year and are strong contenders for the gold.
Hudson-Smith enters the Games as a favorite following his historic sub-44-second victory at the London Diamond League, positioning him as the world leader.
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Similarly, Hall showcased his prowess by clinching the world lead with a time of 43.80 seconds at the Monaco leg of the Diamond League, setting up a tantalizing prospect of a showdown for the Olympic title.
While the spotlight is on the leading contenders, the likes of Tokyo Olympic champion Steven Gardiner and 2022 world champion Michael Norman are also in the mix, ready to challenge the frontrunners.
Gardiner, coming off a win at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial in Hungary, and Norman, who posted a solid 44.21 this year, are poised to make their mark.
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