TAMPA, Fla. — To say that USF sophomore sprinter Abdul-Rasheed Saminu took the long road to Tampa would be an understatement.
Saminu's from Nanumba, a small village in the west African country of Ghana. He was recruited by USF head coach Erik Jenkins, but he had to make a pit stop at Florida Memorial University to ensure that he qualified academically.
Rasheed, as he likes to go by, transferred to USF and made an immediate impact in his first season. After battling an ankle injury during the indoor season, he highlighted his outdoor campaign by breaking the school records in the 100 and 200 meters. (9.95 and 20.34 seconds, respectively. Both marks are technically considered wind-aided.)
He also led the Bulls 4x100 relay team to victory at the prestigious Penn Relays.
After winning the first men's indoor conference title in program history, head coach Erik Jenkins thinks his team has what it takes to add the outdoor trophy to the case.
"We’ve given ourselves a chance because we have folks that are available. What I mean by available, they’re available to run multiple events," Jenkins explained before practice. "We have multiple young men and young ladies who can do that. That gives us a chance to be successful because we’re not one-dimensional."
Saminu has a legitimate chance to win the 100, 200, and 4x100 this weekend at the AAC championships in San Antonio, TX. He says he's fully healthy, and he's ready to run his best races of the season this weekend.
"We’re ready. We’re ready for everything, what is coming. We don’t have to talk much," Rasheed said before warming up on Tuesday. "We don’t put too much pressure on [ourselves]. We’re just going to do what we’re taught to do."
Saminu added that the combination of trusting himself and the training staff has put him in a position to have a historic season.
"Be truthful to yourself. We have a good program, as well," he said. "The coaches are putting us in good shape to run crazy- not crazy. We run good, yeah- haha!"
Saminu also played soccer when he was growing up, but he says the track was his first love. He credits his elite speed to his early training method: chasing rabbits and other game when it was time to hunt for food.
"We have a hunting season back in village. Each year about this time, that’s the time for hunting," Rasheed added. "So we just pick our weapons, sticks, and go to the bushes and hunt. It’s been an inspiration."
Now he said he wants to inspire other kids from his village - and other people from humble beginnings - to chase their dreams the same way he's chasing his.
"Now I’m here to pave the way for others," Saminu said confidently. "That’s what I want to do. I want to make them happy. Run good, stay healthy, and do my best. I just want to make people smile."
"The world of sports, whether it be track and field, basketball, football, it can just open up so many doors," Jenkins, who says he likes to "recruit the world."
Jenkins continued, "Who knows? Maybe down the road, there may be another fantastic young person from his village that might want to come to the University of South Florida and compete in track and field, or just get an education."
The men's and women's AAC outdoor championships run from Friday through Sunday at the Park West Athletic Complex in San Antonio.
