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  • 2 months ago
We are three days away from the start of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Trinidad and Tobago's Jereem Richards is a hot contender and he will be hoping to be one of the medalists in the 400 meter distance. Here's how his chances stack up against the best over that distance.
Transcript
00:00The men's 400m heat of the World Championships is set to take place on Sunday, September
00:0514th.
00:06National record holder over the distance Jareem Richards is slated to be on the list
00:10of starters.
00:11What are his chances of winning this event on his current form?
00:15At present, the 31-year-old is ranked 9th in the world over the distance according to
00:20World Athletics.
00:21It's been an up and down season for Richards after a promising start.
00:25The period from April to July had been his slowest for the year so far.
00:31He won the 200m with a time of 20.21 seconds at the national championships in April.
00:37In July, he had to settle for 6th spot with a time of 20.34 seconds against the likes of
00:42Noah Lyles and Let's See Letty Bogo.
00:45His time in the 400m in July stood at 45.11 seconds when he raced in Switzerland.
00:51Before that, he enjoyed a hot streak at Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track meets, where he
00:56clocked the season's best time and world leading time at that stage of 19.86 seconds
01:02over 200m, but that was back in March.
01:05His time in the 400m over that same period stood at 44.32 seconds.
01:10Now, could Richards be peaking again?
01:14His times in the 400m have gotten faster.
01:18Just last month, he improved on the 44.32 second time at Grand Slam to run 44.14 seconds
01:25in Hungary.
01:27It was a noteworthy sprint as well considering how he closed the race.
01:32Getting faster in the 400m usually means that his times have dropped in the 200 as well.
01:37Will it be enough to match the best in the world over 400m?
01:40He will be up against the likes of South Africa's Zakiti Nini, 43.76, Jackery Patterson, 43.85,
01:49and Caleb McRae, 43.91 seconds over the 400m.
01:54At present, Richards' personal best stands at 43.78 seconds, which is set at the 2024 Olympics.
02:00He takes great pride in representing TNT and it may give him the edge he needs to medal,
02:06if not win, against the best in the world.
02:08I want to be that name that opens the floodgates for the next generation.
02:13Not for the glory, not for the spotlight, but to carry the dream.
02:17For every young athlete who wonders if it's possible.
02:22Let me show you, it is.
02:25We do belong on the world stage.
02:27We can be frontrunners.
02:29And we will be will-beaters again and again and again.
02:34Sergio Dufour, TVSexport.
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