Fredericks has broken 20 seconds for the 200 metres 24 times. He also holds the joint-third-fastest non-winning time for the 200 metres. In August 1996, Fredericks ran 19.68 seconds in the Olympic final in Atlanta, Georgia.
He is also the oldest man to have broken 20 seconds for the 200 metres. On 12 July 2002 in Rome, Fredericks won the 200 metres in a time of 19.99 seconds at the age of 34 years 283 days. He is currently serving as a council member in the IAAF.
On 3 March 2017, Fredericks was implicated in the IAAF corruption scandal, stemming from a large cash payment he received in 2009. The investigation is still to be concluded.
Education and early life
Fredericks was born in Windhoek, the only child of Riekie Fredericks, a seamstress, and Andries Kangootui, a farmer. He grew up in the city's Katutura township, his parents splitting up while he was little. In 1981 he switched to the Catholic school at Döbra to play competitive soccer. When he received a scholarship to complete his matric at Concordia College Fredericks took up athletics because the soccer was not strong at Concordia. He still played for Black Africa, one of the country's top teams.[1]
During his college career, Fredericks earned numerous All-American citations and won three NCAA championships.[4]
Athletics career
In 1990, after his country had become independent of South Africa, Fredericks could participate in international competition. At the World Championships in 1991, Fredericks won a silver medal in the 200 m, finishing behind Michael Johnson, and placed 5th in the 100 m. He then went on to The following year, at the Barcelona1992 Summer Olympics, Fredericks became Namibia's first Olympic medalist when he finished second in both the 100 m and 200 m. He won the silver medal in the men's 100-metre dash, with a time of 10.02 seconds, just .06 seconds behind the gold medal winner. In 1993, in Stuttgart, he became the nation's first World Champion, winning the 200 m. At the 1994 Commonwealth Games, he won gold in the 200 m and bronze in the 100 m. His time of 19.97 seconds in the 200 metres is the current Commonwealth Games record. At the 1995 World Championships 100 m, after crossing the line he immediately went to help his friend Linford Christie who pulled a muscle in the race and signalled for help. This act of kindness endeared him to many (particularly British) athletics fans.
For the 1996 Summer Olympics, Fredericks was among the title favourites for both the 100 m and 200 m. He reached both finals and again finished second in both. In the 100 m, he was beaten by Donovan Bailey, who set a new World Record, and in the 200 m, he was beaten by Michael Johnson, who also set a new World Record. At the time, Fredericks's second-place run was the third-fastest in history, beaten only by Johnson (twice). At the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Frankie once again missed out on the chance of gold in the 100 m; he was beaten by Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago.
Frank Fredericks is a member of the 'Champions for Peace' club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Peace and Sport, a Monaco-based international organisation.
Bribery investigation
On 3 March 2017, French newspaper Le Monde reported[10] that Fredericks had received US$299,300 from Pamodzi Sports Consulting, a company owned by Papa Massata Diack (the son of disgraced former IAAF head Lamine Diack, who is currently facing corruption charges in France). The payment went to Yemi Limited, a company set up by Fredericks in Seychelles, a tax haven, and was made on 2 Oct. 2009, the same day as Rio was announced as the winning bid for the 2016 Olympics. Fredericks has denied that the payment has anything to do with the Olympic bid, but instead says it was fees paid for consulting services he provided for "relay championships" and marketing programs related to African championships and other IAAF programs.
When the allegation was made Fredericks was the chair of the 2024 Olympic bid evaluation committee.[11] On 6 March 2017, Fredericks stepped down from his position in the IAAF task force that is evaluating if or when to re-admit Russia's national sports body RusAF after a widespread doping scandal.[12] On 7 March 2017, the Ethics Commission of the IOC recommended a provisional suspension of Fredericks from his IOC-related duties.[13] Before the IOC Executive meeting Fredericks while maintaining his innocence withdrew from his position as the Chair of the 2024 Olympic bidding process "in the best interests" of the process.[14] Fredericks was replaced as the chair of the 2024 Olympic bidding process by former FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann.
Business career
After his athletic career, Fredericks worked as a business manager. He also founded the Frank Fredericks Foundation in 1999, a non-profit organisation supporting talented athletes.[2]
^Tonchi, Victor L., William A. Lindeke, and John J. Grotpeter, "Fredericks, Frankie (1967- )" Historical Dictionary of Namibia. 2nd edition. Toronto: The Scarecrow Press, Inc, p. 129.
^Tonchi, Victor L., William A. Lindeke, and John J. Grotpeter, "Frederics, Frankie (1967- )" Historical Dictionary of Namibia. 2nd edition. Toronto: The Scarecrow Press, Inc, p. 129.
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