Despite adverse conditions, athletes perform well
Track and field results doesn’t often make headlines, but the performance of Belizean athletes last weekend in a regional competition has given sporting officials cause for optimism. The CADICA Open held in Costa Rica, was not without a fair share of drama however as the national team arrived late and had to ask organisers to bend the rules to allow the Belizeans to compete. Despite those stressful conditions, the athletes finished strong and even managed to break a couple of meet records. This morning the Belize Amateur Athletic Association welcomed the team home with a press conference.
Tricia Flores, Gold Medallist, Long Jump
“I felt very excited because we had a long trip there and we had sleepless nights because we had to travel by bus and it was really uncomfortable. First I thought that I wouldn’t have done because of all that, but I still wanted to do it because I trained for it. After doing all that, it was really exciting. … Being there on the podium and hearing my national anthem play, it feels really good, really proud to be a Belizean.”
Kandice Vaughn, Bronze Medallist, Shot Put
“I’m a junior and I went to a senior meet, so I feel really good that I medalled in a senior competition and I’m a junior. But I was also kind of down-sided because I didn’t get my personal best and my personal best would have pushed me into second place. At one point it was very good for me, but on the other point I could have done better.”
Janelle Chanona
“Where you go from here?”
Kandice Vaughn
“I’m just going to continue training and see how far this is going to take me. I want to do this professionally and I wanna work real hard so that I can be one of the best not only in Belize and Central America, but worldwide so I’m really, really going to push harder.”
Joel Wade, Competitor
“I think the Belize Amateur Athletic Association would have to go out there and beg for help. I don’t know if they had a chance to do that. As a matter of fact, when we went to Costa Rica, I had to pay out of my pocket to go. But I felt good about myself. I felt I had a chance of winning a medal.”
“We definitely have to plan, especially in terms of financing. With eight athletes, we were able to win seven medals and we didn’t even have the full team. If we had the full team, definitely we would have had about five more medals.”
Kay-de Vaughn, Bronze Medallist, High Jump
“I would just like the public to really support us in track and field, because every time we go out, even though it’s a small team, we come back with a very good response, we medal and do very well and I think that track and field isn’t that well recognized here in Belize. So if you guys could just be behind us and show us some support, it would be very much appreciated.”
The next major regional track and field meet is the Pan American Games which will take place in Brazil between July thirteenth and twenty-ninth. The B.A.A.A. would like to thank the sponsors of the trip: Atlantic Bank, Pat Andrews, Ron Zent, and Joel Wade for their support.
