Algarve athletes Isaac Nader and Gerson Baldé made their mark at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japn, with Nader securing a spot in the 1,500-metre final.
The national record holder from Faro finished fourth in his semi-final with a time of 3:36.86, enough to guarantee qualification for the final on Wednesday, September 17 at 2.20pm (Portuguese time).
Reflecting on the race, Nader admitted to a tactical slip 250 metres from the finish but said his strong form allowed him to recover: “They were right behind me, less than a metre, and I didn’t want to slow down.”
Reflecting on the slower pace of the semi-final, Nader added: “I didn’t expect the race to be fast. Some athletes who could have set a quicker pace weren’t here. The Olympic champion increased the tempo slightly, but not as much as they could have. The important thing is the goal was achieved: making the final.” He highlighted his versatility: “I believe in my ability in both fast and slow races. I often tell my coach it’s no use being strong in slow races if I’m not also strong in faster ones. In the final, anyone can be first or last. I just have to trust the work we’ve done, which takes more than a year to build.”
Meanwhile, Gerson Baldé, from Albufeira, came close in the long jump. His best mark of 7.93 metres left him just five centimetres short of the final cut, finishing 15th overall. Despite the disappointment, Baldé remained positive: “It was tough, and maybe a bit unlucky. I know I can jump further, but this time it didn’t happen.”
