In 2015, a 16-year old Japanese sprinter, in the name of Abdul Hami Sani Brown, won at the 9th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletic Championships. Finishing the 200-meter run at 20.34, the record got the attention of the world because it was just 0.06 slower than Usain Bolt’s championship record.
Being compared to Bolt, the holder of the world records in 3 distances and an 11-time world champion, Brown was considered the youngest athlete ever to finish the 200-meter race. Because of that, he was awarded the IAAF Rising Star Award of 2015.
With this enormous talent, you may be thinking where it came from. Apparently, it seems like a mix of Ghanaian and Japanese blood can create the perfect formula for a track prodigy like Brown.
Behind the Spotlight
Sani Brown is a mixed breed of two different countries; his father, a Ghanaian and his mother a Japanese. His athletic ability is credited from his mother, who joined National High School Championships in Japan as a sprint hurdler when she was younger.
The Beginning of the Prodigy’s Journey
Abdul Hakim Sani Brown started his sports life just like how kids cultivate their love for a sport—as a footballl striker. After exhausting the four corners of the football stadium, he was then introduced to track and field when he was 10 years old. He immediately discovered his talent in running. At the age of 14, when he was still a student of Josai High School, he made a breakthrough after finishing second in the 200 meter-run and third in the 100 meter-run at the National School Championships.
However, it was never easy for him way back then. During the time, his trainings were restricted by the limited facilities of his school, making him ran out in the streets just to fulfill his sporting routines. But the hard work had paid off for Brown has achieved more records after that, not only for himself but for the Land of the Rising Sun itself.
The Prodigy’s Progress
In 2014, Brown made noteworthy records of 10.45 seconds and 21. 09 seconds in Japan, making him grab the impressive 12th and 17th places on that year’s World Youth lists for the 100 meters and 200 meter-run. He was only 15 years old back then.
He continued to improve until 2015 when he got a record of 10.30 for the 100meter-lead of the World Youth, which happened in his home city of Tokyo. The following month, he grabbed the world’s fastest 200 meter time record, with 20.56 for an athlete under 18 years old.
With all of these achievements, Sani Brown hoped to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. However, an injury prevented him to make his goal come true. He is currently enrolled at the University of Florida, to prepare himself to be one of Japan’s most promising athletes for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
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