University of South Florida sprinter Saminu Abdul Rasheed is setting his sights on Olympic qualification following a stellar performance that saw him achieve a season-leading time in Division I NCAA.

On April 5, 2024, Abdul Rasheed electrified the track at the South Florida Invitational in Tampa, clocking a program record of 9.95 seconds in the men’s 100m dash. Just forty-five minutes later, he blazed through the 200m in 20.34 seconds, securing the fifth-fastest time in Division I NCAA this season.

Having represented Ghana at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, Abdul Rasheed is now focused on the ultimate goal of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Expressing his excitement, he stated, “It means a lot. It is going to be like a dream come true. I will be happy to represent my country. The village is looking up to me, and I am looking forward to it too.”

However, despite his impressive performance, Abdul Rasheed has not yet secured Olympic qualification due to the wind assistance he received (+3.6). The Olympic Games threshold for wind-assisted performances stands at +2.0.

Prior to the Olympics, Abdul Rasheed’s attention is directed towards the upcoming regular season meets, AAC Outdoor Championships, and NCAA Regionals. Confident in his team’s abilities, he emphasized their collective determination, stating, “There is no doubt that we have a good team coming on this season. So everybody is trying to get ready for our team. The boys are not playing (around) this season so…”

Abdul Rasheed’s journey epitomizes dedication and determination as he strives to make his Olympic dream a reality.