ADAM JACKSON/Ponoka News
For a certain PCHS athlete, being crowned at the fastest senior female 100-metre sprinter ever in Alberta is really ‘no big deal’.
Isatu Fofanah, 18, set the new record during a provincial Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association track meet in Edmonton on June 7 with a time of 11.92 seconds, beating the previous record by 0.02 seconds.
Fofanah took to the track on June 6 for the 200-metre race, but fell just short of first place with a time of 25.91.
“I thought that my race was on Saturday (June 7), so I wasn’t mentally prepared at all,” said Fofanah.
The next day, Fofanah, with the help of her coach, was able to mentally prepare and win the 100-metre dash, while setting the new record.
“I kind of heard someone mention (that I had broken the record) after the race, but I didn’t really think anything of it,” said Fofanah.
“It is a cool thing, I must say, but at the same time I want to be better,” said Fofanah. “It’s never good enough, you always want to do better.”
The high school competition is by far not the only running Fofanah is involved in at the moment.
The Sierra Leone native is also busy preparing for competitions such as the Western Canada Summer Games and the Pan-Am Junior games later in the year in Florida.
Through all of the competitions, Fofanah’s main goal is to compete in either the 2012 or 2016 Olympic Games.
“I’m hoping for (London) 2012, but if I don’t get there, you will see my face in Rio De Janeiro,” said Fofanah.
Fofanah started running at a young age in Sierra Leone, but not in a competitive style.
“I was basically running for freedom,” said Fofanah. “I was just running to get away from what was happening.”
After increased danger in the area due to a civil war that had been brewing, she and her family took refuge in Canada.
“The greatest motivation for keeping with it is definitely my past, it has made me much stronger,” said Fofanah.
“Canada is the land of opportunity so if I can live through what I did and take advantage of all the opportunities and support that is available here, there’s nothing I can’t do.”