He is the fastest man in Asia, the only man from the continent to have broken the 10-second barrier in the 100 metres. But in mind, body and soul, Samuel Francis is African, no matter that he runs for Qatar, scorching the tracks of his adopted continent, winning medals for his adopted nation.

The power of his strides wasn't familiar to Asia before he stormed the stage at Jordan, winning the Asian Championship gold in 9.99 seconds and announcing to the world that he is here to stay.

It would seem incredible that the 20-year-old took up athletics seriously only four years back. Football is the big game in Nigeria but even when he targeted goals, Francis always knew that running fast was his destiny. The same destiny brought him to Hyderabad, where he won the 100M gold but was disqualified for a false start in the 200M. In between, he spoke to Deccan Herald on his life and times:

The beginning: I hail from River State in Nigeria, I am the youngest of seven children. My father was a businessman -- he is no more -- and my mother is a teacher. None of my brothers and sisters is into sports. They say that when my mother was pregnant, she used to take starts as an exercise in the early months. Perhaps, those were my first lessons in sprinting!

On to the track: I used to play football, but I had always been fascinated by athletics. In 2003, I started training for athletics. A coach named Gad saw me run and told me I was making a lot of mistakes. He asked me to move to Abuja. Representing Abuja, I finished third in the 100M and won the 200M at a sports festival, surprising everyone there.

I was selected for the World Junior Champion-ships in Italy, but I fell ill and had to be hospitalised. I then failed to qualify for the World Championships in Helsinki and was injured throughout the 2006 season.

Move to Qatar: It was at the end of 2006 that I received an offer to run for Qatar. I was reluctant initially, but later decided to try it out. I went there on a two-way ticket given by Qatar. I liked the people, I also won a local competition there, convincing them that I could run fast. Moving to Qatar was a big decision. I asked my family and they said 'go ahead.' They stood solidly behind me and I had the courage to move on.

Nigeria's reaction: They did complain to the International Association of Athletic Federations. But the IAAF told them that since I had not run for Nigeria in the preceding three years, there was nothing wrong in my move. At the other end, I told the Qatari people that I would not change my name and my religion. The first four months were difficult for me. I didn't know many people and I had no friends there. I just went crazy. But books and music -- I like thrillers and am fond of classical music -- kept me entertained.

Money factor: Money is not an issue. I knew that if I ran well, money would always come. The facilities to train and improve attracted me. There is money in Qatar, but I have to run well to earn it. Many in Nigeria feel that going abroad is an easy option but that is not the case. You need friends, you need love, but I had to look at my future.

Breaking the 10-second barrier: It was an unbelievable feeling. I wasn't focusing on the time, I was running for the medal. At the finish, I looked at the time, and felt I certainly could have done better. I thought I would run better at the World Championships, but unfortunately, I got injured in Osaka.

Idols: Donavan Bailey, the Atlanta Olympic champion, is one. Asafa Powell, the current world record holder is another. It's not just the fact that he is a champion, it is the way he runs -- so relaxed, so focused.

The future: Like everyone else, I am looking forward to the Olympics. But to win a medal, I first have to reach the final. So reaching the final is my first goal in Beijing. Of course, every sprinter wants the world record. Time is on my side and I can go for it. But it has to come gradually. You just can't jump from one to ten straight away. You need to work steadily towards that goal.