27 legal sub-10 performances in the 100, and a record 25 sub-20 second clockings in the 200. His 1996 PBs, 9.86 and 19.68, still stand as African Records.

Fredericks’ Foundation

His pursuits off the track, beginning with his degrees in computer science and his Masters in Business Administration in 1994, have been no less inspiring. His volunteer efforts and patronage at home over the past decade led to the formation of the Frank Fredericks Foundation in 1999. The foundation, aimed at developing young athletes while at the same time affording them the opportunity to complete and further their education, was launched by then Namibian Prime Minister Hage Geingob in Fredericks’ hometown of Windhoek.

“It is a very emotional event for me,” Geingob said, “partly because we are so proud of Frank’sachievements on the sports field and partly because of his humility as well as his commitment, and dedication to his country and its people. I know well that people with the kind of extraordinary talent that Frank has,” Geingob continued, “are very often tempted to stay in the West for financial reasons or for the state of the art facilities. But, Frank chose to come back home to impart to the young people of his country his skills.”

Fredericks is also a patron of the Katatura Youth Enterprise Center (KAYEC), an organization that teaches entrepreneurial skills to young men and women.

“It’s now time to give back”

He’s also worked diligently over the years on behalf of his fellow athletes, as a member of the IAAF’s Athletes’ Commission, as the African