Behind superstar sprinter there's super mom

Life as a working mother can be a challenge for anyone with a bunch of energetic kids, but raising a star sprinter or two, comes with its own set of demands, as is the case with the Karriem family of Ottery Turfhall Estate.

Eldest of five, Abduraghmaan, 20, has been on fire this season, stopping the clock at 20.07sec in the 200m sprint, at Green Point Stadium, earlier this month.

The old record stood at 20.35sec. His time now stands as the ninth fastest in South Africa and the third fastest ever recorded on SA soil.

Karriem, the Western Province junior champion for three consecutive years and back-to-back  WP senior champ two years in a row, despite being a junior, was at it again at the weekend, dominating his events at the WP high schools, junior and under-23 track and field championships, at UWC. Next on the radar, he says, is to try and get a senior national medal in the 100m and 200m events.

“My favourite event is the 200m because anything can happen at any time in the race,”” he said. “However, the weirdest thing happened over the weekend,” he said. “In my 100m final, my shoe laces came loose and my spikes were slipping off my feet, making me stumble a bit,” he said. In the end, crossing the finish line first, is all that matters.

He is certainly no overnight success, said young Karriem’s number one supporter, mom Ilhaam, his personal nutritionist and full-time family cheerleader. Thankfully, athletics is part of the family DNA, with Ms Karriem, herself a once a promising sprinter, father Adeeb, his coach and the rest of the family all in on the act. His younger sister, Naboeweyah also does the 100m and 200m sprints and is the Western Province under-20 club champion. 

“Yes I am his number one supporter,” said Ms Karriem, who picked up on her son’s potential early on in his primary school days.

“He used to run for Fairview Primary in Grassy Park and he loved the sport from day one,” she said.

“He has been training with his dad/coach for eight years and I would not change it for anything. The results are showing now in all the hard work and dedication he has for the sport,” she said.

Eat right, sleep tight and do things with all your might, seems to be the motto in the Karriem household, as Ms Karriem ensures her son is well-rested and well-fed ahead of upcoming events. While some may frown upon running on an empty stomach, Ms Karriem offers a simple remedy to help deal with her son having to compete during the month of Ramadan. 

“Abdu does a lot of intermittent fasting, so his body is already used to training and fasting. Yes, we cook special meals and he only drinks water, no fizzy cool drinks. Abdu loves roti and curry. He will even eat the roti with no food,” she jokingly said.

An all-round sports fan, her speedy son also displayed a knack for table tennis and is punted by Wafeeq Domingo, head coach at Duinefontein Table Tennis Club and a long-time friend of the Karriem family, as having had the potential to become one of the country's top junior players.

“Abduraghmaan is a very focused, disciplined and respectful individual and has been this way since young. It is no surprise to us at Duinefontein Table Tennis that he has gone on to achieve what he has in the world of sprinting,” he said.

“Athletics always took precedence over table tennis so his training was limited. However, he showed lots of promise and had the potential to become one of the country's best juniors,” said Domingo.

While the two sporting codes are worlds apart, Domingo believes the fast-paced nature of table tennis can enhance a sprinter’s abilities, speed and explosiveness. 

“Table tennis requires quick reactions to fast-moving balls, improving hand-eye coordination and reaction time. Sprinters can benefit from enhanced reaction time off the starting blocks,” he said.

“Table tennis also demands intense mental focus and concentration. Sprinters can benefit from improved mental toughness, allowing them to maintain focus under pressure,”  he said.

Well-known Cape soccer fundi and former professional footballer, Abubakaar “Boebie” Solomons agrees. Having made a name for himself on the soccer pitch, Solomons was awarded WP colours in five different codes - athletics, soccer, swimming, volleyball and table tennis.

“It’s a fantastic ‘brain’ training activity that sharpens your reflexes and reaction speed which is excellent in sprinting, for explosive starts and increasing rapid movements and leg rate,” he said.

For Karriem, it’s all about explosive starts and rapid leg movements as he goes about preparing for his next big race, dealing with unexpected obstacles and setting his sights on competing beyond the country’s borders.

An opportunity to compete at the European Athletics Tour, along with SA speed kings Akani Simbine, Wayde van Niekerk, Benjamin Richardson and Bayanda Walaza has presented itself, but raising R180 000 to cover food, transport, and training essentials, is proving to be his biggest headache.

“This isn’t just an ordinary trip - it’s a chance for me to compete amongst the best athletes all around the world,” he said. If you can help, call 082 312 1832.