Fred Kerley looks forward towards the 100m at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme. The Olympic vice-champion will battle for the first place and will fight for that spot against fellow Americans Trayvon Bromell and Michael Norman. Kerley got a boost of confidence in Paris last Saturday, where he ran himself to a new PR in the 200m. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in my current form and want to show what I’ve got in the upcoming weeks. My goal is very clear: I want to be the fastest man in the 100m, 200m and the 400m.”
Kerley surprised many when he made the choice to put his beloved 400m aside and went all in on the 100m and 200m. Kerley threw all the odds overboard and earned a well deserved spot in the American Olympic team. The only thing that came in between the gold medal was the even stronger Italian, Jacobs. ‘“The decision to focus on the short sprinting disciplines was just made by myself. My trainer and I were convinced that medals were a possibility in every sprinting event. For me the season really took off at the Trails and that is why I am in the shape of my life.”
Since this year, the sprinter is part of a very exclusive club. Kerley is, next to the South-African Wayde Van Niekerk and the previously named Michael Norman, the only athlete to break three magical barriers: 10 seconds on the 100m, 20 seconds on the 200m and 44 seconds on the 400m. “I want to be the best at all three distances. What makes someone the best, maybe a world record? I know I have got the potential to break the 400m record. I want to be a legend, like Usain Bolt; I see him as a big brother. To me he will always have a spot on the podium of the greatest of all time, he is a big example.”
The upcoming days Kerley wants to relax to give it his all for his second to last competition of the season. “Intense training isn’t what I need at the end of a season. I mostly try to have a clear mind at the start this Friday. In the meantime I am going to relax by listening to music and discover Brussels a bit.”
