Jamaican Olympic silver medalist Grace Jackson on Thursday evening encouraged local athletes to strike a balance between academia and sport whilst addressing them at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) pavilion.
Jackson, who has degrees in Accounts and Computer Science at the post-graduate level, told athletes, officials and parents that without the support of academics the road to success will be much harder.
She noted that during her athletics career when she felt frustrated she became even more focused on her books.
The 6’1’’ Jackson said she started as a long jumper in high school and then moved to the hurdles event before eventually settling for the 100m and 200m events.
Jackson told the gathering that she knew there was going to be life after track and therefore it was important that she equipped herself with the tools for that “next adventure.”
Speaking about athletics, she reflected that it was an outlet for her, and many other Jamaican youths, who grew up in poverty.
She said that whenever she went to train she gave it her all because she understood her reasons for doing it.
“Second was never good enough and I saw running as providing a better life for me,” the current first vice president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association declared.
She recalled that when tribulations came her way her attitude was …“somebody had to pay.”
She made direct references to when she was first injured and when she finished fifth in her first outing at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Helsinki in 1983.
Jackson also constantly referred to her “intrinsic motivation” tactic to pick herself up after disappointment.
“Pain brings with it its own rewards,” she observed.
On the other hand, Jackson said she was a team player and although she did not like the 400m, she did it for the team and for her country.
She said she cried when the baton was dropped during the 4x100m relay at the 1984 Olympics but still managed to go out and run the 4x400m event for the team.
She said that was probably the hardest 400m she had ever run.
She also took time out to remember former coach Fred Thompson whom she said inspired her during her career.
She said when she moved to the professional circuit he paid for her to compete in Europe and that was the turning point in 1983.
She said this culminated in Seoul in 1988 when only world record holder in the 100m and 200m Florence Griffith Joyner beat her in the Olympic 200m final. In that final she also beat the then 200m World Champion Silke Moller, Heike Drechsler and teammate Merlene Ottey.
Subsequently, she was plagued by injury but came back to compete at the 1992 Barcelona Games before she brought an end to her career.
Meanwhile, Jackson, who indicated that she was blessed with the gift of the gab, will today hold a clinic with athletes who have been selected for the CARIFTA and the Inter-Guiana Games in the Cayman Islands and Cayenne, French Guiana respectively.
