The ISSA Boys and Girls Track and Field Championships is one of the marquee events on the athletics calendar in Jamaica. It is highly anticipated and so important to so many people that vacations are scheduled around the event.
The ISSA Boys and Girls Track and Field Championships is one of the marquee events on the athletics calendar in Jamaica. It is highly anticipated and so important to so many people that vacations are scheduled around the event.
As the ‘track season’ begins in earnest, there will be a number of development meets throughout 2014 leading up to ‘Champs’. As the season develops, new talents will emerge to stake their claim amongst the elite high school athletes.
One person who has set her sights on doing so is Linesha Thompson. A product of the excellent John Mills Junior High track and field programme, Thompson is now at Vere Technical High School and intends to make a statement at ‘Champs’.
The transfer to Vere was not her first choice, instead she wanted to go to St. Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) to continue working with her coach Ransford Spaulding.
“I wanted to go to STATHS, I wanted to continue working with coach (Spaulding), I cried a lot.”
However her family made the decision for her and now she has no regrets.
“It’s great, I met a lot of new friends and I am comfortable her now,” she said of her new environment. “Training is harder and more structured, I am fitter than I have ever been and I am really looking forward to doing well.”
Thompson had her first outing for Vere at the Excelsior Over-Distance Track Meet in November where she won her heats in both the 600m and 300m. She placed second and fifth overall in the 600m and 300m respectively.
Those two performances have done wonders for her confidence as she is now very certain that she can compete with the best of them. “Winning both of my heats has done wonders for my confidence. I am learning to plan my races better and I am feeling good.”
The switch from the blue and yellow of John Mills to the Green of Vere was seamless. “Running in the green of Vere didn’t pose a challenge for me mentally. I am ready to do my utmost best for my new school, I am just excited, really excited,” she said.
“My next meet will be at Jamaica College on January 4th and I am already looking forward to it so I can gauge how far I have come since November.
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