Coach Kotze Plotting Samba's Path to World Title and Record
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ASIAN GAMES | Page 2 MLB | Page 5 Liu sets world Cardinals’ best as Ikee late long balls bags fi stful of beat Dodgers, swim medals Jansen Wednesday, August 22, 2018 FOOTBALL Dhul-Hijja 11, 1439 AH Salah in diving GULF TIMES storm as Liverpool win at Palace SPORT Page 7 FOCUS Coach Kotze plotting Samba’s path to world title and record ‘We are planning for the world record and the title at the IAAF World Championships in Doha. But we have to be careful’ By Anil John Jakarta Bett’s death is a great loss for t’s close to noon and Abder- me, says Kotze rahman Samba is slogging it out in the sweltering heat By Anil John tionally overwhelming to talk and humidity of the Indone- Jakarta about Bett. Isian capital. His music system – “No, no, please,” Kotze said, which he carried to the stadium – moving back a few steps and is belting out a Rihanna number ugust 7, 2018 is a date covering his face with his at full volume. His coach, Hennie Hennie Kotze desper- palms to muff le his sobs. Kotze, is hollering instructions Aately wants to black out He composed himself after a and struggling to make himself from his memory. It was on couple of minutes to continue heard. this fateful day he received the the interview only to step They had been there for close shocking news of the death of back again, finding himself to two hours with a few other his former student, Nicholas incapable of dealing with the members of Qatar’s track and Bett, the 2015 world champion situation. fi eld squad in Jakarta for the in the 400m hurdles. This writer had no option but to Asian Games. There’s hardly Bett had won the title at the apologise to him profusely for anybody else at the venue apart IAAF World Championships in bringing up the topic, but Kotze from a few teenaged Asian Games Beijing, the first Kenyan to do finally got himself together and volunteers. They are watching so in an event shorter than the managed a few words. Samba drip bucketsful of sweat 800 metres. He was driving to “I was shocked and saddened as he goes through his strenuous Nairobi from Eldoret when his by the news. He was with me routine. One of the girls tries to car hit a bump and rolled over. for two years. It’s a great loss imitate him by jumping over an He was killed instantly. for athletics, and also for me imaginary hurdle. Her friends Bett, who was only 28, was personally.” break into giggles. more of a son to Kotze, who Samba, who was listening from It’s 12.30pm and the heat has now coaches Abderrahman a few yards away, came to the suddenly become oppressive. Samba with the aim of making Kotze’s assistance. “Ok, we are done for today,” Ko- him the world champion. “Don’t worry coach, he is with tze shouts. “Five more minutes, In Jakarta now for the Asian God, he is in a nice place,” he coach,” Samba shouts back. Games, Kotze found it emo- said. Kotze smiled. Kotze is regarded as one of the greatest hurdles coaches in the world, but the genial and humble South African considers himself lucky to have Samba as his stu- dent. “He is really dedicated and disciplined and has a fantastic Qatar’s 400m hurdler Abderrahman Samba and his coach Hennie Kotze (right) after a training session during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta temperament. It’s an honour for yesterday. PICTURES: Anil John me to have him under my wings,” Kotze says, as Samba collects the gold for Qatar in Jakarta. His sen- record. He was fantastic in the ners usually take 14 steps be- hurdles and heads back to rest sational exploits in the Diamond Diamond League. His consist- tween hurdles because maintain- on the steps of the stadium. On League, where he upstaged Nor- ency has been amazing. Surely ing a long enough stride to reach the way, however, he stops and wegian world champion Karsten we are planning for the world every hurdle in 13 steps is con- shouts into this writer’s record- Warholm, would go down as one record and the title at the IAAF sidered extremely taxing. On the er: “He is the best coach in the of the highlights of the 2018 track World Championships in Doha other hand, if an athlete takes 15 world, he is the best coach in the and fi eld season. next year. But we have to be care- strides he would be hardly com- world.” The South African is certain ful with our planning.” petitive because that would mean Kotze smiles gently and waves Samba is a future world champi- One of the things coach Kotze each stride will be shorter. him off with a pat on the back. on, with the world record possi- would like Samba to do is to take Moses was a self-coached ath- There’s little doubt about the bly accompanying it as the icing just 13 strides consistently be- lete. He had a masters in physics ses’ mark at the Paris Diamond strides each.” level of admiration they have for on the cake. The world record, tween hurdles as this is consid- and industrial engineering, and League surely puts him on the But at the moment, the focus is each other. of course, belongs to American ered the benchmark of greatness perhaps used some of his knowl- road to superstardom. on the Asian Games. “The thing about him is he Kevin Young, who clocked 46.78 over the 400m. edge to develop his athletics “That’s one of the things we “It’s one of the biggest events takes the same discipline and seconds at the 1992 Olympics in American all-time great Ed- prowess. are working on. The 400m hur- in the world even though it’s the dedication to his life outside of Barcelona. win Moses, who won the gold As a result, between 1977 dles is one of the most demand- Asian Games. Winning the gold athletics. To his personal life, his Twenty-six years after Young’s at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics and 1987, he went unbeaten in a ing events, technically as well as for your country is an honour. religion, he is totally committed. blistering eff ort, the Qatari be- – he didn’t take part in the 1980 mindboggling 122 races, setting physically. You have to set your Abderrahman is very excited and It’s lucky for me that he is that came only the second man ever to Games in Moscow because of the four world records in the process. target, speed wise, endurance motivated. He is in great shape. way. It helps me a lot in my work go under 47 seconds (46.98), his even surprised Kotze. US boycott – is considered the Moses’ personal best of 47.02 was wise,” says Kotze. He is both naturally gifted as well and it helps him run very fast!” feat coming during the Paris Dia- “To be honest even I was taken fi rst man to perfect the 13-stride set in 1983, which his compatriot “I want him to reach the fi rst as totally dedicated.” Samba, of course, is the hot fa- mond League meeting on June by surprise. I didn’t realise he pattern. Young later eclipsed in 1992. The hurdle in 20 strides and each of The 400m hurdles gold will be vourite to win the 400m hurdles 30. It was a performance that would come close to the world In a 400m hurdles race, run- fact that Samba also broke Mo- the remaining nine hurdles in 13 decided on August 27. Medals tally (top 15) Qatar at Asiad Qatar’s Babacar Dieng (centre) G S B T goes for a basket 1. China 30 18 12 60 during the men’s 2. Japan 12 17 18 47 3x3 basketball Pool C match against 3. Korea 8 12 14 34 Nepal in Jakarta 4. Indonesia 5 2 5 12 yesterday. Dieng and teammate 5. Iran 4 3 5 12 Nedim Muslic 6. DPR Korea 4 1 3 8 (right) scored eight 7. India 3 3 4 10 points each in the game as Qatar 8. Chinese Taipei 3 2 5 10 won 21-8. Qatar 9. Mongolia 2 1 4 7 also beat Syria 17-7 yesterday evening 10. Kazakhstan 1 5 7 13 and are top of their 11. Uzbekistan 1 3 6 10 pool with three 12. Thailand 1 1 8 10 victories, after Maldives were 13. Lebanon 1 1 2 4 Qatar’s Cherif Samba (centre) in action as teammate Ahmed Janko (right) looks on during the men’s disqualified. 14. Philippines 1 0 4 5 beach volleyball Pool B match against South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang yesterday. 15. Jordan 1 0 1 2 Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, August 22, 2018 ASIAN GAMES SPOTLIGHT Qatar at Asiad Asian athletics president hails large participation at Asian Games QNA trative staff . Doha Al-Hamad pointed out that the Asian Games in Indonesia will for the fi rst time see a 4x400 sian Athletics Associa- race, expecting all athletics com- Qatar’s Tala Abu Jubara in action during the repechages round for the women’s single sculls rowing event in Palembang yesterday. With a time of 8:54.31, she has made it tion president Dahlan petitions to witness strong com- to tomorrow’s Final B of the event.