Relay team sets its sights on next season
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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President of the SKNAAA, Glen Jeffers |
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts-TEAM St. Kitts-Nevis returned last night (Aug. 24) from the 12th IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Berlin tired and without medal, but still hopeful for success in the years leading to the London Olympics in 2012.
The team fell short of its goal of reaching the finals in any of the events in Berlin contested by the Federation.
This was particularly true of the women’s 4x100m, which the St. Kitts-Nevis Amateur Athletics Association (SKNAAA) had high hopes for at the competition after they had run a superb 43.53 earlier in the year.
SKNVibes spoke to the Acting President of the SKNAAA, Glen Jeffers, who said that the team had to run in one of the most challenging qualifying heats.
“Strangely enough, through the random selection of the computer, all of the Caribbean teams were in the same heat. Even the Jamaicans came to us and said, ‘This is rather strange’.
“We knew that Jamaica and Bahamas would be the top two, and it was just a question of who would be the third and fourth fastest out there. We were really aiming to be in the top four,” he said.
The team unfortunately came in fifth place after registering a time of 43.98, and did not qualify for the finals. Jeffers blamed the slower than expected time on the baton exchanges.
“The girls were ready, and we felt that they could have done it, but we really had some hiccups in the exchanges. The starter ran up on the second leg and the second leg ran up on the third leg. The baton did go around, but instead of it being extended it was more running up.
“The times were pretty steep, but we felt we could have gone 43-low, just as Trinidad set a new national record of 43.34,” the SKNAAA official said.
While the 2009 season is drawing to a close, Jeffers said that the team has already made a commitment to come back stronger in 2010 as they compete in events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Central American and Caribbean Senior Championships.
“We have had meetings with the girls individually, and also collectively, as to the number of races we need to put together for the relay team. It is a young team and we have to maintain the chemistry among the young ladies.
“We have gotten the commitment from them that they really want to see it work. There may be one or two relay competitions where we may not have [the most senior athletes], but on the main events, whether it is the Penn Relays, CAC Games or Commonwealth Games, they will be available. That is a guarantee,” Jeffers said.
Also speaking at the athletes’ return was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture, Lloyd Lazar, who said that the Government and people of the Federation were extremely proud of all the athletes for representing St. Kitts-Nevis at such a prestigious event.
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