Voice of Guyana International

Have you ever walked into a competition venue or athlete’s quarters, and just felt the tension? Looked into someone’s eyes and saw the focus, the drive? Sat next to someone and felt the determination seeping from their very being? Well, good. Because when I got to Helsinki, I didn’t get any of that. All everyone talked about was the food and how far the walk to it was. I’m not saying that I talked to EVERYONE, and EVERYONE was unhappy about the food or how long it took to get to the food, but you know what I mean.

This is my fourth trip to Finland, and my third World championships. I supposed I should be used to it, and I am for the most part. In Edmonton I ran a PB of 51.96, and that was my first Championship. A lot has happened since then. I’ve won the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, bronze medal at 2003 Pan American Games, and made the 2004 Olympic semi-finals in
Athens despite a serious accident just a month before. My mind set has also changed a bit. I used to get very nervous. Most of it stemming from feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. I was afraid of losing. Scared that I would disappoint my coach, or myself. Just generally anxious when it’s time to start. I still get nervous though. If I was in a race and the closest person to me can only run 55 seconds on a good day, I’d still be nervous. And I’m ok with that. I get nervous at all the potential at the start of every race. At the bang of every gun, I can run a PB; I can break a national record. I can beat an Olympic champion. I could…. The infinite possibilities excite me, and make me nervous.

I usually don’t like telling anyone (aside from my coach) what I think I’m capable of before I run. I like to say it to myself. Close my eyes, inhale, and picture it happening. Open my eyes and execute. There was one time that I told someone else though. 2002 Commonwealth Games. A very good friend of mine, Charles Allen (Guyanese nation record holder, 2004 Olympic Finalist competing for Canada) asked me what I was going to do. I started to say, “I think I can make the finals and then we’ll see from there.” He
stopped me at I think, and repeated, “I asked you what you’re going to do, not what you think.” Now, Charles is a very intense person. He was sitting across from me, looking directing in my eyes. I didn’t know I said it until I heard him repeat it. “SO YOU GONNA WIN IT, SOLDIER!!!” (He calls me Soldier, but that’s a story for another blog) I nodded my head, still not sure if I said it or thought it. Well, I won. And that makes me wonder, should I share my secret ambitions with someone before I run??

I know I have a lot of support. I know the entire country of GUYANA is watching and hoping myself and Marian do well. I know my father is going to hold his breath from the beginning of my race, to end. And I hope he won’t have to hold too long. I know Coach Ryan won’t be able to sit still from the day of my race, until it’s all over. I know what I’m capable of physically.

I telling one person my secret in Manchester and I won. So what happens if I tell everyone who’s going to read this? Well, here goes.

Let’s all close our eyes. Picture the start of the Women’s 400m. Visualize me getting into he blocks. Running…running…running. The race is over…. Now it’s time to execute

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