BASSETTERRE, St. Kitts - AS athletes from St. Kitts and Nevis prepare for the 2013 Pan Am Junior Games to be held in Columbia, SKNVibes has decided to highlight some of them who will make up the National Squad.
Speaking one and one with SKNVibes, all seven athletes who were interviewed collectively indicated that they are seeking to perform to the best of their ability and have promised to surpass their personal best in representation of their country.
Lonzo Wilkinson Jr., who will be participating in the 200 and 100 meters, said he is returning from a slight injury and preparations are going well.
“Preparation has been going really good. I had a slight injury earlier up this year and I had to sit out for a couple of weeks, but it has been getting better and better.”
He also identified his objectives for the meet.
“My expectation is to run a personal best, make it through the rounds and hopefully make it to the finals for both events.
“The people of St. Kitts and Nevis can expect us to go out there and do our best and hopefully bring back a medal and make our country proud.”
Warren Hazel, the 400 metres and 200 meters athlete, expressed the same sentiments and reminisced on his performance in the Ukraine earlier this year where he ran a personal best.
“Preparations are going well. I had a couple of regional and international meets for the year already and they went very well. I ran a personal best in the Ukraine and everything has been going well so far.
“My expectations are to drop my time and to run a next personal best. This is my last meet for the season, so I expect to go through the rounds and the semis and hopefully make it to the final.”
Alkronous Bridgewater, who will be participating in 100 and 200 metres, told this media house that “Preparations have been going well. I had weeks of training before exams and I am confident we will go out there and do our best.
“I will try to do my personal best and try and bring back a medal...in the relay at least.”
Sadiki Tyson will be competing in the 100, 200 and the 400 metres.
He also noted that training has been going well and he has seen significant progress in his time.
“I just want to achieve a personal best in the event that I will be taking part in and for the relay team to do their best,” he said.
Kajon Parris, who will be competing in the 800 metres, stated that his preparation for the middle distance has also been going well.
“For the past months I had exams and it was keeping me back from training, but now I am in full effect and feeling good. I would like to do a personal best and I hope to bring home a medal. People can expect me to do my best at the games and represent my country well.”
Stavia Lewis, the lone discus athlete, claimed that preparations thus far have been difficult but she too would be giving it her best.
“Training so far is very difficult but I am putting in my all. I want to give my full effect when I go to the Pan Am Juniors. I would like to pass my personal best which is 40.05 metres.”
Javelin thrower Jonathon Silliday stated that his preparation has been very difficult due to the lack of competition.
“Preparation for me was a bit difficult because I haven’t been competing for a very long time. So I am trying to get back to where I was...but eventually I would get there. I want to achieve a personal best, which is 60.29 metres, and take it to about 65.”
The team travelling to Columbia is as follows:
Officials
Osdel Hanley - Team Leader
Stewart Joseph - Technical Leader
Donnell Esdaille - Head Coach
Llewellyn Pyke - Jumps Coach
Johnny Heyliger - Throws Coach
Athletes
Omhunique Browne - 100m and 200m
Stavia Lewis - Discus
Kristal Liburd - Long Jump
Adrian Williams - Javelin
J’Anthon Sillidy - Javelin
Warren Hazel - 400m and 4X100m
Lonzo Wilkinson Jr - 100m and 4X100m
Nathaniel Huggins - Long Jump
Rico Gumbs - 100m, 200m and 4X100m
Ka’Jon Parris - 800m
Alkronus Bridgewater - 200m and 4X100m
Sadiki Tyson - 400m and 4X100m
