Joseph Fahnbulleh has secured a spot in the men’s 200m finals at Paris 2024, finishing second in his heat with a time of 20.12. This marks the 22-year-old sprinter’s second consecutive appearance in an Olympic final. In a composed and reflective post-race interview, Fahnbulleh discussed his feelings about reaching the Olympic final for the second time.

Fahnbulleh progresses

“I feel like George Weah,” Fahnbulleh told Go Team Liberia. “I’m feeling good, great, and most importantly, blessed. I’ve been praying a lot.”

He mentioned that reaching each Olympic final requires a different mindset. This time, he has focused on staying faithful, prayerful, and dedicated to serving others. “I’m not doing this for myself,” Fahnbulleh said. “I’m doing it for everyone who came before me.”

Reaching the finals requires the support of many.

In round one, Fahnbulleh shared that his mother reminded him of the well-known Bible verse Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” He drew on these words to run a steady and successful race on Monday. However, in the semifinal, Fahnbulleh said his coach offered a more direct form of motivation.

“The words I received today were not exactly holy,” Fahnbulleh joked. “My coach said, ‘You have to make it. You didn’t come this far to fall short. Go out there and be a man,’ and you can probably imagine the rest.”

Fahnbulleh also highlighted his ongoing commitment to honoring the village that raised him. He expressed his gratitude to his mom, his coach, Liberia, and all those who have supported him. These races, he said, are for them.

What’s coming up next

Tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. local time, Fahnbulleh will compete in the men’s 200m final at Paris 2024. After finishing fifth at the Tokyo Games, he aims to secure Liberia’s first medal. 

Unlike his previous Olympic final, where he was the sole African sprinter, this time the final features four African athletes. “We’re putting the whole world on notice,” Fahnbulleh said. “With Africa having three different countries and four athletes in the final, that’s half the field.”

Joining Fahnbulleh in the final are Letsile Tebogo from Botswana, Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba from Zimbabwe, Alexander Ogando from the Dominican Republic, and Americans Noah Lyles, Erriyon Knighton, and Kenneth Bednarek, all vying for the men’s 200m Olympic gold.

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