Photo: Tara Sue Barnett (courtesy Grand Canyon website)
Former Edwin Allen discus thrower Tara Sue Barnett believes things are changing for female throwers in Jamaica and they are now believing more and more that it is possible to compete at the highest level.
This new lift in confidence came after the former GC Foster College and current Grand Canyon University star qualified for the upcoming Rio Olympic Games with a new personal best effort of 61.26 metres at the Steve Scott invitational last Saturday.
“My Performance has lifted my confidence heading toward Rio, as it now shows me that even though sixty metres was hard to throw, anyone can achieve their goals and dreams if they focus on it. Also praying was a big part of achieving the Olympic A standard,” she revealed.
The mark is less than a meter way from the National senior record of 61.34m set in 2014 by former St. Jago standout and fellow collegiate athlete Kellian Knibb. Barnett revealed that she wanted a big throw before the national trials but didn’t see it coming this early in the season. The moment of truth hit her when she saw the reaction of her coach and teammates, she then felt she had done something big.
“From the reaction of my coach and teammates before the disc landed in the sector I knew it was a persona best. At first I thought it was about 59m meters. I waited to hear the result and after I heard 61 I didn’t even stop to listen – 61 what – it was. I felt like a load was lifted off my head as getting that ‘A’ standard was my coach and my objective and we both wanted to throw it this year so I could go to Rio.
“I wanted to get the ‘A’ standard before trials as time was at hand and I have only a few track meets left to compete at before senior trails. Therefore, I had no room for a disappointing meet as that would have affected me in the long run,” she explained.
Barnett, when she debuts in Rio, will be only the second Jamaican female athlete to have competed in this discipline at the Olympics. Only former national record holder Allison Randall, who made it to the 2012 Beijing Olympic Games, has done so for Jamaica previously.
Barnett is already relishing the excitement and joy that it will bring when she make her Olympic debut in Brazil. As she reflects on the weekend she can now say without a doubt prayer and hard work is now her conquering device.
“I am always hard working. I always set a goal to achieve yearly and lucky I always accomplish my goals. For me, training is the place to make all my mistakes so that they may be corrected and analysed properly. I always work hard at training and follow my coach instructions and training program. What I have been doing differently from my previous years is praying a whole lot more than I use to and try to do my best at practice,” Barnett emphasised.
Given the time that still remains before the games, Barnett is hoping that other outstanding, upcoming talents can join her as part of the discus team in Rio. The possibility exists that Jamaica could have three females and three male Discus throwers in Rio.
Knibb along with former National junior record and Holmwood star, Gleneve Grange, are two of female throwers who have made tremendous improvement in their craft. Grange is also a senior collegiate athlete in the USA. Knibb won the Penn Relays college title on Saturday with a mark of 58.55m. There is also the possibility of Randall returning following her two years drug suspension which ended last July.
“We still have time for some more athletes to qualify and for that reason, we are hoping that Jamaica will be able to increase the number of participating athletes. It would be both an honour to me and my country to have three Jamaicans competing at the Olympics. This would motivate the younger female throwers of the country to step up and represent their country, just as or even better than the seniors have. Also one of my dreams is to see Jamaica having as many Olympians and world class female throwers as countries such as America, Germany and Cuba in this discipline,” Barnett told Yardie Sports.
The male throwers led by national record holder Jason Morgan along with former World Junior and World Youth champion Fedrick Dacres and Chad Wright were a part of the Jamaican team to the World Championships in Beijing China last year.
The country could have similar representation at the upcoming Olympic Games with the great possibility of copping a medal or two in this discipline should the athletes give of their best in competition.
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