Jackson State University welcomed back JSU sophomore and 2012 Olympian Anaso Jobodwana during a congratulatory celebration on Aug. 15 in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.
The event featured the Sonic Boom of the South marching band, greetings from Athletics Director Dr. Vivian L. Fuller, men’s track coach Mark Thorne and David Hoard, vice president for Institutional Advancement.
A native of Eastern Cape, South Africa, Jobodwana ran for his home country during the 2012 Summer Olympics. He had the honor of qualifying for the men’s 200-meter Olympic final. During the race, which included Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt, Jobodwana finished eighth. The 20-year-old ran a personal best of 20.27 seconds.
The 2012 Olympics was the first race for Jobodwana on the world stage, but certainly not the last. He’s expected to continue as one of the world’s top contenders in the 200 meter and is also expected to dominate national competitions as well.