Shingo Suetsugo’s (末續 慎吾) Historic World Championship 200m Bronze!

For the longest time, I’ve been scouring the net for a longer clip of the 2003 Paris World Championships 200m Final. It was where Shingo Suetsugo (20.38) unexpectedly clung on to an historic bronze medal finish – a first for an Asian man at major athletics meets. The Asian record holder finished behind Americans John Capel (20.30) and Darvis Patton (20.31). The indefatigable Frankie Fredericks (20.47) crossed the finish line a distant 7th, not bad for 36-year old.

Results (from Sporting-Heroes.com):

1. Darvis Patton (USA) –          20.31
2. Shingo Suetsugu (JPN) –     20.38
3. Darren Campbell (GBR) –    20.39
4. Stephane Buckland (MRI) – 20.41
5. Joshua Johnson (USA) –       20.47
6. Frankie Fredericks (NAB) – 20.47
7. Uchenna Emedolu (NGR) –  20.62

Suetsugo’s reaction when he found out he got bronze is priceless – truly priceless!

Although he did win a splendid Olympic bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, it’s pity how he faded into insignificance as an individual sprinter.

Read about Japan’s 4x100m Olympic Bronze

When Suetsugo and Liu Xiang both won their respective bronzes in Paris 2003, I thought that the former could go all the way to the Athens Olympics. Suetsugo should have just focused on his event, the 200m dash (20.03), instead of aiming to break the 10-second barrier in the century dash (PB – 10.03).

Video credit:

takuya291941