Gothenburg (Sweden): Portuguese Francis Obikwelu said on Thursday his mission was accomplished after completing his 100 and 200 metres sprint double at the European championships, four years after finishing runner-up in both events at the previous championships in Munich.
"I'll tell the kids I'll have in the future about this one," a delighted Obikwelu said after setting the fastest European time of the year (20.01 seconds) to win the men's 200 metres final.
The race was Obikwelu's fastest 200 metres since he started competing for Portugal. His personal best of 19.84 came in 1999 when he was still racing for Nigeria.
In June, the Nigerian-born sprinter was awarded the 100 metres gold from the 2002 Munich championships after Briton Dwain Chambers was stripped of it for a doping offence.
Obikwelu insisted that gold medal did not count. "I got two silvers then and it was my duty to go out there and get both the 100 and 200 gold medals," said the 27-year-old.
"I just want to do my thing. "On Tuesday I said that I would not accept the 100 metres gold medal from Munich, that I would send it back. But of course my federation wants me to accept it, so what can I do," added Obikwelu, who became a Portuguese citizen in 2001.
In the 200 metres in Munich, Obikwelu finished second behind Greek Costas Kenteris, who is now suspended after missing three drugs tests in the run-up to the 2004 Olympics.
In Athens, Obikwelu took the 100 metres silver behind American Justin Gatlin, who risks a lifetime ban after testing positive for testosterone this year.
Obikwelu became the first man to complete a 100 and 200 metres double at a European championship since Italian Pietro Mennea at the 1978 Prague championships.
"That was the same year I was born," said Obikwelu, who knows his statistics. "I looked at it, and I thought I could do it too."
Comments
0 comment