01.03.2008

Another day for Australia's new sprint king

Otis Gowa woke up on Saturday morning feeling a bit “surreal”. Understandably so, given he had closed the previous night as the 2008 Australian 100m champion.

Gowa won the prize race from another couple of athletes seeking to build their own profiles in an Olympic year, New South Wales pair Jacob Groth and Isaac Ntiamoah.

The main contenders, Matt Shirvington and Patrick Johnson, suffered from bad starts and were left chasing the rest of the field before a buzzing stand at the Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre.

Scalps haven’t encouraged the 23 year-old to deviate from being a “quite a shy guy” and, as his career skyrockets from here, they probably won’t.

“I’m not a guy that is one to judge other people or showboat myself,” he said. “There’s bigger and better generations out there and I just want to be a part of what Patrick and Matt and Josh (Ross) and those guys have had over the last six years or 10 years. I just want to make a name for myself.”

The title is another chapter in Gowa’s incredible story, one that turned less than two years ago when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Soon after, he addressed his life with a quicker-than-expected recovery, the opportunity to meet his Ghanaian father and a move to Brisbane from Cairns to further his career.

The latter fast-tracked the invitation for him to join the national relay squads and after Friday night’s effort, his place in the mix is stronger than that of many others.

Through the Jump Start to London Indigenous squad, Gowa has also found some important mentors in its co-ordinator Sally McGrady, his coach Darryl Wohlsen, 12-time national 110m hurdles champion Kyle Vander Kuyp and Commonwealth discus representative Benn Harradine.

“The team atmosphere is made by the people within the program,” he said. “That’s how I like it. I like quality people around, people that make you laugh and are not going to upset you.

“They come from different parts of Australia and they’ve all got their different stories to tell. I’m just the same as everybody else but I just want to show the way.”

It’s similar to the jovial Caribbean crew that complemented the world’s fastest man Asafa Powell on his visit to Sydney and Melbourne last month.

Gowa didn’t run Powell’s distance in Melbourne, contesting his preferred 200m to finish third to Daniel Batman and New Zealander James Dolphin.

But he and other members of the Jump Start squad seized and savoured the opportunity to meet Powell and company with some tips sought from one of the best in the business.

“Just to stay relaxed,” Gowa said. “Obviously when you look at him, he’s involved in a nice, relaxed atmosphere. You’re always going to learn things along the way.

“Those guys are terrific. It’ll be good just to meet with him or train with him again or cross paths. I hope he does come out to Australia again because it’s just terrific when he comes out here and puts a good show on.”

Gowa needed to call on his composure after Friday night's first false start, and again as he waited outcome on the protest that followed victory and elation on the track.

By 11pm, the result had been upheld and Gowa - all smiles - returned to his hotel for rest ahead of this evening’s 200m heats.

He may well have been dreaming of what could happen next.

By Steve Lavell