Qatar's Femi Ogunode celebrates winning the men's 100m athletics event during the 17th Asian Games in Incheon on Sunday. Ogunode set a new Asian record and a new games record of 9.93.
Reuters/AFP/Incheon
Qatar's Femi Ogunode broke the 10-second mark at the Asian Games for the first time, splashing his way through the rain to 100 metres gold on Sunday.
On a day when China smashed through the 100 gold medal mark, and second-placed South Korea put daylight between themselves and rivals Japan, Ogunode blasted out of the blocks and motored home ahead of China's Su Bingtian and Japan's Kei Takase.
Originally hailing from Nigeria, Ogunode won the 200-400 double four years ago and is going for the 100-200 in Incheon.
While his task was made easier by the withdrawal of Japan's Yoshihide Kiryu due to injury, his time of 9.93 seconds in atrocious conditions confirmed his status as Asia's fastest man.
"I had always confidence in myself," he said at a news conference. "I don't know what to say. So grateful and so happy. After four months of training, I am now looking forward to going back home to meet my family."
The Asian 100 metres champion says he can outsprint Usain Bolt to gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro - even without the help of a coach.
Ogunode, 23, clocked the joint fifth-fastest time in the world this year despite dispensing with his coach four months ago and opting not to replace him.
"I am fine without a coach, I know what to do," said the confident sprinter, who returned from a lengthy doping ban at the start of this year.
"Without a coach I can discipline myself and train myself. I've been training alone. When I'm training myself I believe in myself so strongly and I improve so much," he added.
Ogunode only returned to competitive action in January after a two-year suspension for testing positive for banned substance clenbuterol.
"For me everything was the same," Ogunode said of his 24 months on the sidelines.
"I trained as normal and what I did today was not strange to me. I believed and trusted myself that I could do it."
Ogunode told reporters he would now turn his attention to next year's world championships and then to the Olympics in Brazil the following summer.
Asked if he could beat Jamaica's Bolt - the world's fastest man at 9.58sec - Ogunode replied: "I have confidence in myself that I can challenge anybody."
"I see myself winning the gold medal in Rio."
Ogunode finished well ahead at Incheon's Main Stadium on Sunday with China's Su Bingtan taking second in 10.10.
Kei Takase of Japan crossed the line in third on 10.14 while his Chinese team-mate Zhang Peimeng timed 10.18 in fourth.
After nine days of competition, China are out of sight at the top of the medals table on 105 golds.
South Korea, who have finished runners-up at the last four Games, look likely to do so again after finishing the day with 42 golds, eight more than Japan.
