Belizean athlete ready for Olympic trials

Kaina Martinez

The 2012 Summer Olympics continue in London where judo athlete, Eddermys Sanchez fell early in the elimination round, but team Belize is still in the games. This Friday, Kaina Martinez will be competing in the one hundred meter sprint while Kenneth Medwood will race in the four hundred meter hurdles. Martinez is Belize’s top female runner and the only homegrown athlete on the team. As part of her preparation for the Olympics, she spent three months in Texas doing rigorous training and in the days before her big race, she continues to prepare both physically and mentally. Martinez spoke to News Five from London via phone today.

Via Phone: Kaina Martinez, Belizean Athlete

“I’m feeling good, I’m just trying not to be too anxious but just trying to relax and meditate on my game, try to see my race before I actually start racing.”

Delahnie Bain

“Okay, I know you went away to train for a while before the Olympics, has that boosted you confidence?”

Via Phone: Kaina Martinez

“Yes, it does boost my confidence, it also helps me mentally in many ways to be more prepared for a bigger game and I just believe the few months that I spent training helped make improvements with my time and psychologically in many ways. I mean the time frame is short, but I’m pretty sure that the amount of work that I put in with the coaches is pretty good to set me on a standard to be very competitive.”

Delahnie Bain

“And are you doing any additional practicing over there right now?”

Via Phone: Kaina Martinez

“Yeah, sure. Every day since I’ve been here, I’ve been training and working on the little bits that can work within the time frame that we have.”

Delahnie Bain

“I’m sure you’ve met some of the other athletes that you’ll be going up against, what do you think of the competition there?”

Via Phone: Kaina Martinez

“Well, for me I look at the competition as being my own competitor, meaning that I look at myself and say this is your race and your race only so run your race and just reach the end. So that’s how I’m looking at it. It’s competitive, but I’m looking at it from my point of view to be as competitive as I can be so that’s how I’m looking at it, trying to make a tunnel vision for myself.  I just want to thank my mom for hearing all my miseries and dreams and cries all the time before it even became a reality. Thanks to my friends, like my coworkers there at the Belize Coast Guard who are always ending me a message now and then and every other Belizean who is not only proud that I’m representing out country, but also supported me in many ways.”

Martinez’ race on Friday morning will be at ten-forty London time; that’s four-forty a.m. Belize time.