BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – The St Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee (SKNOC) president Alphonso Bridgewater has lauded retiring sprinter Kim Collins for the tremendous service he has given to the country through sport.
Collins, a former IAAF World Championship gold medallist over 100 metres, announced Monday he was retiring from the sport that brought him historic achievements for the country.
“It was Kim Collins who put St Kitts and Nevis on the map,” Bridgewater said.
Bridgewater, officials from the St Kitts and Nevis Amateur Athletics Association and the government, all gave glowing tributes to Collins during Monday’s press conference at the Silver Jubilee Anniversary Stadium where the 33-year-old announced his retirement.
Collins became the Caribbean’s first ever 100-metre gold medallist at the IAAF World Championship when he captured the event at the 9th IAAF World Championship in France in August 2003. His other notable achievements include Commonwealth Games gold over 100 metres in 2002 in England, and World Championship bronze medals in 2001 (Canada) over 200 metres and 2005 (Finland) in the 100 metres.
Collins, who had an outstanding US Collegiate career for Texas Christian University (TCU) that included the 2001 NCAA Indoor Championship sprint double (60 and 200 metres), also won IAAF World Indoor Championship silver over 60 metres in Valencia, Spain, in 2008.
During an emotional announcement on Monday, Collins said there are “small races” that he may compete in next year but his career is effectively over and he will step aside and leave the younger national athletes to carry the torch.
“I feel I have got to the point where I have to pass the torch on to the younger people,” he said.
Collins said he had spoken to younger national athletes such as 2008 IAAF World Junior Championship silver medallist Meritzer Williams, Tiandra Ponteen and Virgil Hodge, who promised him to keep lifting the St Kitts and Nevis flag on the international stage.
Collin retires with personal records of 9.98 for 100 metres and 20.20 for the 200.
