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In spite of her grief , Viwe still manages to smile |
already qualified in both events for the World Junior Championships to be held in Cali , Columbia from 1 to 6 August , and there she will be competing against older athletes , as the age group is stipulated as U20 . Here she is ranked seventh in the 100m and eighth in the 200m in the world . There has even been talk of her qualifying for the World Senior Championships in the USA , but to achieve that , she would need to lower her 100m and 200m times substantially , to 11.15 and 22.80 . |
Viwe ’ s Stats ( As at 21 June 2022 )
Personal Bests
100m : 11.22 sec ( SA U18 and U20 Record ) 200m : 23.03 sec ( SA U18 and U20 Record )
Honours
6th in 4x100m relay , World U20 Championships , 2021 Semi-final in 200m , World U20 Championships , 2021 SA U18 100m Champion , 2022 SA U18 200m Champion , 2022
World Rankings
100m ( U18 ): 2nd 200m ( U18 ): 1st 100m ( U20 ): 7th 200m ( U20 ): 8th
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able to discuss anything with her elder brother , and he would often encourage her , telling her she could do anything she set her mind to . “ I miss him very much . I am still healing ,” she says more than a year after his passing .
Viwe adds that she still goes back to the texts they sent each other , as part of her healing process and as a way to remember Vukile . In particular , she says she often goes back to the messages he sent in her early days at Tuks , when her homesickness was at its worst , and one of the best pieces of advice that she still treasures is when he encouraged her to use her pain to become stronger . Now , when she feels things are becoming overwhelming and the tears start to come , she will go back to one of their texts . “ He used to text me and tell me I do not need to cry all the time ,” she says .
Vukile ’ s passing has left an indelible mark on young Viwe . Usually an outgoing person , she has become a quieter , more reserved one . “ I used to be very alive and cheerful , now I am very quiet . But Vukile also used to tell me I can run faster . He was a big encouragement in my life , so I reread those texts and that helps to motivate me . That is also my way of celebrating his life .”
Viwe is also quieter and more reserved at training , but every so often she will crack a smile that lights up her face . The ongoing process of healing is helped by the close-knit training group she is part of , where she is particularly close to Bradley Nkoana , another of Paul ’ s young sprint protégés . Viwe says such is the bond between the athletes in the group , that they quickly pick up if something is amiss . “ When I have had things to deal with and I have been a bit down , they would immediately pick up on it and ask me what is wrong ,” There is also a special bond between athletes and coach , and she says they can confide in Paul about matters of life , school and relationships . It is these bonds that have helped her become the athlete she is today .
Huge Star Potential
A glance at the current global U18 ranking lists shows that Viwe lies second in the 100m behind Jamaica ’ s Kerrica Hill , and top of the pile in the 200m . She has
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However , Paul is not even trying to get her to the seniors this year . “ Viwe is only 17 . She still has another World U20
Championships in her . Too often we see exciting juniors not making the transition to senior level because they are pushed too far too soon ,” says Paul , who can attest to personal experience of rushing things . At 19 he was crowned World U20 Champion in the 200m , and at that stage he was already competing against , and often beating , senior athletes . However , the push to compete against older athletes saw him suffer several injuries , which held him back from reaching his full potential . That ’ s a mistake he aims to ensure does not happen to Viwe .
For now , he says that how far she can go in the sport will very much depend on what happens in the next few years . “ How Viwe matures and grows will very much depend on the team around her now and in the next couple of years . In two years ’ time , she will still be eligible to compete at a World Junior Championships , and that would be her third one . That has never been done before , and if she takes it step by step , she has the ability to become South Africa ’ s greatest ever sprinter ,” says Paul . Meanwhile , the challenge he faces is holding her back , as she loves racing , and just wants to run !
Of course , the coach may have to deal with pressure from more than one quarter to let her run more . Athletics South Africa now has a protégé who is clearly a world class talent , and is comfortable in the limelight – she has been managing and fielding interviews like a pro ever since her big weekend at the SA Juniors – so ASA will be very aware of her marketability and medal potential . Therefore , the national federation will want to use her to promote the sport , but will also be keenly aware of the fact that she needs to be nurtured and protected .
Clear Goals in Mind
While the coaches , officials and pundits all have their own opinions about what Viwe should or should not do next , she already knows what she wants to do . “ I want to become a World Champion , and become the first South African woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the short sprints .” Judging by her discipline and determination in training , and such is her talent and work ethic , that if she is coached and managed well , and stays injury-free , then hers is a dream that is very much within the realms of possibility . So remember the name : Viwe Jingqi .
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SA All-time Rankings
U18 : 100m – 1st 200m – 1st
U20 : 100m – 1st 200m – 1st
Senior : 100m – 7th 200m – 16th
Already a world class performer at just 17
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Images : Reg Caldecott , BackSport |