any indication, he will be greatly missed.

Skills honed in Utah – NCAA double

Fredericks began running at 13 and had a passion for football, but when a scholarship opportunity to Brigham Young University (BYU) came his way, his attention, when not on his studies, focused specifically on athletics. While his country, at the time part of South Africa, was unable to compete internationally, Fredericks honed his skills at the Utah university, and left fully prepared when Namibia, which gained its independence in 1991, was allowed back into international competition.

After bests of 10.32 and 20.57 during his first year at BYU, he was a double NCAA sprint finalist in his remaining three years. In 1989 he was sixth (10.20w) and third (20.42), improved to third (10.23w) and second (20.32) thefollowing year before capping his collegiate career with a double 10.03w/19.90w win in 1991 to become the first non-American to capture the demanding NCAA sprint double. He also won the indoor 200 crown that year.

2001 World silver – African double

Upon his competitive departure from Provo, his international impact was immediate. He completed another double that season, sweeping the sprints at the African Championships, having already struck silver in the 200 at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo after finishing fifth in one of the finest 100 metre races ever, clocking 9.95.

Namibian Olympic first and World gold

In 1992, he was a double silver medallist at the Barcelona Olympics, claiming the first Olympic honours for the newly independent Namibia. It was an achievement he would duplicate four years later in