AFP/Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund’s new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has clocked a faster time in sprint training than Olympic champion Usain Bolt ran when he set the world record in 2009.
The 24-year-old Aubameyang clocked 3.7secs over 30m during sprint training with the Champions League finalists this week, while Bolt ran 3.78sec over the same distance when he set the world 100m record of 9.58secs in Berlin in 2009. “Pierre is definitely the fastest player who has ever played for us,” Dortmund’s director of sport Michael Zorc told German daily Bild. The Gabon international is not only fleet-footed, as he proved scoring 41 goals and setting up a further 28, in 120 games for former club St Etienne.
He cost Dortmund 13 million euros (US$17mn) from the French Cup winners. “We’re going to have a lot of fun playing alongside him,” said Dortmund’s Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
Aubameyang is convinced he has made the right decision in linking up with Borussia Dortmund. The Gabon international has penned a five-year contract in Germany and believes he has joined one of the ‘greatest clubs in Europe’.
Aubameyang told L’Equipe: “I was stunned with the welcome I received during a friendly on Saturday. There were 50,000 fans there, it was crazy. It was important for me to choose the right sporting project. I have dreams and I want to make them reality.
“It seemed obvious to come here. The game they play here is perfect for me and I couldn’t dream of anything better.
But Jamaica’s sprint star may not be too happy that Dortmund have signed Aubameyang: Bolt is a fan of European champions Bayern Munich and friends with their Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The 26-year-old sprinter is often in Munich as a patient of Bayern’s team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt.