Viwe Jingqi sets her sights on her first senior national titles

Competing in the women’s senior 100m heats, she blazed through with a time of 11.06 seconds to secure victory, then dominated the semi-finals with an 11.51 finish in her final year as a junior athlete at the age of 19.

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Now, her focus is squarely on clinching her maiden national senior title in tonight’s final, her excitement palpable.

''Honestly I don't like the time I got in the semis, it's a bit windy - yes I understand but I'm always hard on myself. But, I am very happy that my body is responding,'' said Jingqi.

Jingqi, who competed at the national junior championships held in Pilditch Stadium, Tshwane, is confident that her training regimen is paying off, anticipating improved performance and faster times in the near future.

During the current national championships, Jingqi remains centred on her own performance, paying little heed to the competition posed by other seasoned athletes like Tamzin Thomas. 

''I believe in not focusing on anyone. I don't really like to look at who I will be running with, I think that will help me, because if you focus more on the people you're running with, you then stop yourself from getting to where you want to be,'' added Jingqi.

Gingqi’s target time for the women’s 100m Olympics in Paris is 11.07, Yet, while qualifying for the Olympics would be a significant achievement, her primary focus lies on the upcoming World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru later this year.