Paris - Frankie Fredericks thought about retiring three years ago as injury robbed the great Namibian of a chance of finally winning an elusive Olympic gold after four silvers but his decision to soldier on could pay off in Paris as he is in with a chance of adding a second world 200m crown to his roll of honour.
It is typical of the battling qualities of Fredericks, who will be 36 in October, that he has fought back from persistent Achilles problems and won an emotional Commonwealth Games title in 2002 which left him in tears.
Having opted for athletics after seeing a promising career in football dissolve because his fellow University students in South Africa refused to pass him the ball because he was coloured and they were predominantly white, he has put Namibia on the map in athletics and inspired a younger generation to take up the sport.
Now, though, he has to concentrate on putting the younger brigade in their place and perhaps keep his dreams alive of breaking his Olympic gold duck in Athens next August.
"These young guys are getting tougher," admitted Fredericks, who might run the 100 as well he says to give him a bit of extra speed training.
However he said an upturn in his fortunes had totally changed his mindset.
"I was very disappointed a few years ago and I was thinking about retiring because I was running bad but things are going well again so I'm not even thinking about it.
"I'm enjoying my athletics again. There are a lot of new youngsters and I'm really happy I can still be competitive."
He showed that he could mix it with the best of the current crop in what has been a poor season at sprint level when he deadheated with John Capel at the Berlin Golden League meeting over 100m and the American will be among his major rivals when they settle down in the blocks in the heats next week.
"The three Americans as always will be dangers.
"There will be the Greek (Kostas Kenteris world and Olympic champion), and the British can always throw up one or two surprises out here.
"Those will be the main contenders. We don't know what the Greek is up to so we'll just have to prepare well and give him a good run for his title."
Kenteris as always has shunned the Grand Prix circuit opening up questions over his fitness.
But while Capel refers to him derisively as the 'Greek boy' and that he is going to relieve him of the Olympic title in 2004, Fredericks is too seasoned a campaigner and fought so hard for his rights in his own country to think anything is his by right.
"Growing up in such an environment where your colour could dictate what job and what school you went to you learn to take nothing for granted and that only natural talent will give you the chance to escape the bias of the state at the time," he said.
Fredericks denies he is a choker and that he has had the misfortune to run against some exceptional performers.
"Yes I have four Olympic silver medals but I am not a choker.
"In 1996 I finished second behind two men (Donovan Bailey in the 100 and Michael Johnson in the 200) who ran world records. How can you credit that happening twice at an Olympics!"
- Sapa-AFP