Paris — Kenyan sprinter Zablon Ekwam waltzed into Paris with high hopes of notching his first Olympic medal but his aspirations came crashing down midway through Heat 6 with an injury.
It was a devastating experience in Paris - but 27-year-old Ekwam says he is ready to wait for as long as it takes to lay hands on an Olympic medal.
Ekwam says in an Olympics scenario many perform well and achieve their goals of claiming a medal.
He goes on to explain that others exit the games on realization that they have to cool their heels until the next cycle of Olympics.
-Long Wait--
Now Ekwam has no choice but to wait for the next games; but not until he has had a go at other gigantic games like the Commonwealth and World Championships.
He will be 31 years when the 2028 cauldron is lit at the Los Angeles, USA Opening Ceremony,
"I know it's going to be a tough journey, but I will have to handle it. It's not me alone who will be waiting. There are those who wait for more than 8 years and they make it to the summit of the Games," observed Ekwam.
In as much as it is going to be a long wait, he believes it's going to be fine.
"I just came out here with lots of ambition, but I believe I'm going to be the best. I know when I stepped on the line, I just saw myself as a great athlete given the opportunity to compete. From here, we will sit down with my coach and management, and see how I will get back to training and see if I will come back stronger," he emphasized.
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Great Britain's Charles Dobson won the Heat after timing 44.96Sec, ahead of Belgian Alexander Doom (45.01) and Jevaughn Powell (45.12) in second and third respectively.
"It was an easy Heat though I didn't manage to the finish line, it has happened the way it has happened and I know injury is part of the game. And it has happened for me today and I accept it. I have to wait another four years," he stated.
Ekwam says he is living his dream despite the setback: "Being here is an achievement, and it's where everyone has been wishing me to be. The back-up team that has been with me through this journey are amazing; and when they see me at the line, they get very excited. Unfortunately, it didn't end how we had expected."
In June 2024, he was named in the Kenyan team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In March 2024, he competed in the Men's 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
The men's relay team set a new Indoor African record at the event, running 3:06.96 to break the continent's record set by Nigeria in 2014.
He lowered his personal best to 45.19 seconds at the Kenyan World Relays Trials in Nairobi in April 2024.
Ekwam ran under the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying time with a personal best of 44.69 in the 400 metres at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi. He was selected for the Kenyan 4x400 relay team for the 2024 World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas in May 2024.
