Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2007-07-20 From: Xinhuanet

ALGIERS, July 18 (Xinhua) — Kenya’s Jason Dunford won a gold in the men’s 200-meters butterfly and two silver medals in 100m backstroke and the 50-meters freestyle on Wednesday in the ninth All-Africa Games. He has made clear that his next goal is an Olympic medal.

Dunford claimed a total of three gold, two silver and three bronze in the All-Africa Games of which the swimming contests ended on Wednesday.

In his speciality, the butterfly, Dunford left no gold in other competitor’s pockets and took all of them in 50m, 100m and 200m. The freestyle seemed to be his weak part, but he finished third in the 100-meters and 200-meters and claimed a silver in 50-meters on the last day of the swimming contests.

Dunford told Xinhua in an earlier interview that he planned to have a rest in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi after the All-African Games and then he would return to the United States for further training. His next goal is a swimming medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Zeff Ekumbo, coach of the Kenyan swimming team, said Dunford has been among the top-class swimmers in the world, especially in his speciality, the butterfly. The 20-year-old is at the peak of his sports life, added Ekumbo.

Dunford was the first Kenyan swimmer qualified for the Olympics. He entered the final of the men’ s 100-meters butterfly in this year’s World Championships in Melbourne and finished it with a time of 51.85 seconds, ranking him the seventh best of the world in this category.