Excelling at running: 'World's fastest accountant' Eugene Amo-Dadzie bags sub 10-second 100m in Graz
'I remember feeling like I was flying,' Eugene told ITV News London (race video from Horst Mandl Memorial 2023)
A sprinter dubbed the 'world's fastest accountant' said he was thrilled to clinch a time of less than 10 seconds in the 100 metres making him the quickest in Europe this year.
Eugene Amo-Dadzie, 30, only took up athletics four years ago after being encouraged by a friend.
The east Londoner clocked up a breathtaking 9.93-seconds in Graz, Austria, at the Horst Mandl Memorial which places him fourth on the British all-time list.
"Up until that point I had never looked across at the clock and seen three numbers - I’ve never looked across and seen the number nine!" he told ITV News London.
"So I remember feeling like I was flying. I crossed the line and saw the nine - I didn’t even see the .93 afterwards and I went crazy!" he added.
Eugene juggles sprinting with being a full-time accountant and gets no sponsorship or funding.
He comes from a Ghanaian household where his parents pushed the academic side of his life.
He started doing athletics just for fun and, at first, never intended to start competing at major events.
"It was noticed, growing up you had PE teachers telling your parents ‘get him in a club - he could make the Olympics!’ he said.
"The story of getting into athletics was interesting. My friend Ben, one day we were playing football at a track in London and there was an athletic meet going on so we were on the pitches behind and he looked over and said ‘I think you can put a pair of spikes one and beat these guys’.
"And he asked me why I had never tried it and I didn’t have an answer for him.
"But that was the day something woke up in me and I said OK let’s give its a go and see what we can do but I didn’t have any other expectation because it was just something new so I thought I would try it out," Eugene added.
The accountant said his success was largely down to having a big support network and he thanked his "incredible wife".
He added: "When we got married I hadn’t started.
"We’ve been married five years and she’s having to put up with me flying around Europe. I work for a great company and they really do support me, they help me work remotely and they always ask what’s going on when I race, asking where they can watch it.
"So it’s encouraging to have an employer who supports it.
"And my team are awesome, not just helping me on the track but also in life generally - so I have a great support team that I am truly thankful for."
Eugene said he took time to look after himself by eating well and getting enough sleep, adding" "I believe that by god’s grace the results will take care of themselves".
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