Agnes prepares well for Games

NAMIBIAN middle-distance runner Agnes Samaria set a new Namibian record of 4 minutes, 05,43 seconds in the 1 500-metre race at the Athens Grand Prix in Greece on Sunday.

She said it was a tough race and she ended in a disappointing 7th place. “I feel very strong but miss at the moment the courage and confidence to follow the best and to fight for the win.It is more a mental issue than a physical one.Only by running a few more races, can this improve,” she said via e-mail yesterday.The previous weekend, Samaria also ended in 7th position during the Madrid Grand Prix.She will now compete at the Aviva London Super Grand Prix and the Herculis Super Grand Prix in Monaco, after which she will travel to Beijing for the Olympic Games, starting on August 8.The London Super Grand Prix will be on July 26.She said she still has time to increase her training.In the Madrid GP last weekend, Samaria said she was very disappointed.”I just had no power in the end.Although I moved slowly up from the back of the group and was positioned in an ideal position (3rd) in the last bend, I had no kick left.At least I discovered the reason now for the weakness and will take the necessary measures to avoid such a disappointing finish.This happened once before to me, in Athens last year,” she said.For the two upcoming races, the former teacher turned professional athlete said she can earn a lot of points for the World Athletics Tour leading to qualifying for the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final (IAAF World Athletics Final) in Stuttgart in September.”Last year I came 4th in the 1500m with the best athletes of the world participating.As I did not focus yet on making points, I could miss this year’s final.I sincerely hope that the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) will accept my later travel to Beijing and that my ticket can be adapted, I need more high-level competition to be better prepared for my Olympic races,” she said.She added that she has already informed the committee, but had received no reply yet.”I feel very strong but miss at the moment the courage and confidence to follow the best and to fight for the win.It is more a mental issue than a physical one.Only by running a few more races, can this improve,” she said via e-mail yesterday.The previous weekend, Samaria also ended in 7th position during the Madrid Grand Prix.She will now compete at the Aviva London Super Grand Prix and the Herculis Super Grand Prix in Monaco, after which she will travel to Beijing for the Olympic Games, starting on August 8.The London Super Grand Prix will be on July 26.She said she still has time to increase her training.In the Madrid GP last weekend, Samaria said she was very disappointed.”I just had no power in the end.Although I moved slowly up from the back of the group and was positioned in an ideal position (3rd) in the last bend, I had no kick left.At least I discovered the reason now for the weakness and will take the necessary measures to avoid such a disappointing finish.This happened once before to me, in Athens last year,” she said.For the two upcoming races, the former teacher turned professional athlete said she can earn a lot of points for the World Athletics Tour leading to qualifying for the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final (IAAF World Athletics Final) in Stuttgart in September.”Last year I came 4th in the 1500m with the best athletes of the world participating.As I did not focus yet on making points, I could miss this year’s final.I sincerely hope that the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) will accept my later travel to Beijing and that my ticket can be adapted, I need more high-level competition to be better prepared for my Olympic races,” she said.She added that she has already informed the committee, but had received no reply yet.