Shaun Bownes has been a popular athlete in the short distance hurdles event. The former 2002 Commonwealth Gold medalist in the 110 meter hurdles and African record holder of the 50 and 60m indoor hurdles is still going strong. The Potchefstroom native recently won a silver medal at the World Masters Athletics Meeting and is coaching new young talent.
Potchefstroom Herald caught up with Bownes for a trip down memory lane as well as discussing present achievements and future roles in athletics.

When did it all start?
My career and love for athletics started in primary school but I started excelling in matric. I was a real late bloomer! The first time I won an SA seniors title was in 1994 when I was 23 years old.

Serious injuries?
Injuries have played a big part in my career. I had two big knee injuries and an Achilles injury that ended my senior athletics career. Injuries also delayed my progression to the international stage as I only hit the circuit in 1998 when I was 28 years old, which is very late.
Records that you are most proud of?
I broke the SA Record in 1998 which stood for ten years in 110 m hurdles behind Wessel Bosman’s name. That year in Kuala Lumpur I got Bronze in the final. I also represented SA at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and got a gold medal in the 2002 Commonwealth Games when I beat one of my idols, Colin Jackson, in the final.

Why did you start competing in Masters Athletics?
I was also under the impression that Masters Athletics was an old person sport as I had been involved in top class senior athletics for so long. It had been four years since retirement that my friends persuaded me to have a go at it.

I had nothing to lose and nothing to prove. I did some Masters Athletics races in Johannesburg, Potchefstroom and Germiston. Last year I won the World Indoor Masters in Budapest and then trained again after stopping for five months. My friends then once again persuaded me to train for the World Outdoor Masters Championships this year that took place in Lyon France.

Six weeks before departure to Lyon I developed upper respiratory infection and I was on antibiotics and out for three weeks. This delayed my progress and I had to push harder during training. Unfortunately this resulted in another setback as I injured my quadriceps. I felt fine in the final, but I stumbled from the blocks and lost momentum from the slow start.

I knew I could have won but I was satisfied with my second place and a season’s best. You see 80-year-old people still running, enjoying the sport and living life to the full. The championships were an eye opener to me.

Who were your athletics heroes?
Colin Jackson and Allan Johnson. And in the end I ran against them and beat them. It was amazing but I had to make a decision to stop idolising them and start beating them.

Take us through the 2002 Commonwealth games gold in the 110 meter race?
I had such a slow start in that race! I only give seven big strides before the first hurdle while other athletes normally take 8 strides. It is all about changing your rhythm and acceleration into the first and second hurdle.

Biggest change in hurdles over the years?
The biggest difference is the age group that the guys excel in these days. They reached amazing times in their early twenties. They are physically stronger from a younger age. I really hope the next generation will inspire other hurdles. Compared to world standards, we still have a long way to go. International hurdles is very strong. Lots of international guys travel to Potch for training.

Who would you pick to run in the ultimate South African 100meter hurdles race?
•Shaun Bownes

•Lehan Fourie

•Ruan de Vries

•Frikkie van Zyl

•Hennie Kotze

•Janco Kotze

•Kobus Schoeman

•Wessel Bosman

Strange moments in your career?
The craziest thing that happened to me was when I competed in Holland. My agent gave me the time schedule but they did not tell me that there were heats that I had to compete in before the final. I then realised that I had to get dressed in the train and needed to stretch and jog on the train as there was no time on the track! The Dutch people on board looked at me in amazement. I was late and got to the track just in time to run the heat and eventually qualified for the final.

Life lessons learned in athletics?
The one thing I always tell my athletes is that if anything was easy then everybody would do hurdles. Unfortunately we live in a world where everything has turned into a quick fix and no one is prepared to work hard and be the last person on the track. To become a great sportsman takes effort. 100% effort equals a 100% result. There will always be a lot of sacrifice to become the best.