With the sting of near-misses fueling his determination, American sprinter Fred Kerley sets his sights on the ultimate prize: Olympic gold in 2028. Having tasted silver in the 200 meters at Tokyo and bronze in the 100 meters at Paris, Kerley now embarks on a four-year quest to claim the top spot on the podium in Los Angeles.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Lausanne Diamond League, the athlete was asked-
“Fred, if you remember Paris, if you reflect on your two races there just 10 days later, what would you say now, and what do you expect for tomorrow?”
While Kerley did provide a summary of his voyage in Paris, he also underlined his future goals, saying:
“In Paris, I think I got the job done on that day. That’s all I had on that day. I feel like the job’s still not finished because 2028 is around the corner.
He continued by saying-
I’m not leaving my career without an Olympic gold. But I feel like everything was given on them days at the the championship; on to the next one.”
Kerley was delighted with the bronze medal he achieved at the Paris Olympics and additionally stated that he won the medal owing to his current form in the division.
However, he also indicated that his objectives are not yet fulfilled, as he would not retire from track and field until he wins a gold medal in the coveted event.
While the next Olympic Games would be held in Los Angeles in 2028, Kerley would be 33 years old, and this statement was an ambitious prediction from the track star himself regarding his sporting career.
“Will you keep running in the relay?” was the next question that was put to the American sprinter in the press conference, and he responded by saying:
“[laughs] The relay is the relay, but at the end of the day, track is an individual sport.”
Kerley acknowledged the relays but pointed out that sprinting is primarily an individual sport. He wants to be an Olympic champion, but he wants to win the gold medal in the individual events rather than the relay.
The 29-year-old will compete in the Lausanne Diamond League 200 meters on August 22, 2024. This would be an important challenge for the athlete, as he hadn’t run in the category in a long time due to his 100-meter goals at the Paris Olympics.
Kerley will also contend with Letsile Tebogo, the 200-meter Olympic champion, as well as famous competitors such as Erriyon Knighton of the United States, Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia, and Dominican Alexander Ogando.
