By Staff Reporter
Jeremy Garrett is not a household name in athletics in this country.
At least not yet. But that is not his fault for although he has been flying “under the radar” so to speak, Garret has been one of the shining stars in track and field this year.
All of that can change in a flash later this month if the 14-year-old Chase Academy Student has his wish. Though it is late in the year and the holidays are fast approaching Garret’s wish is not related to the Xmas season.
Rather, he plans to have a breakout performance at the upcoming Schools National Track and Field Cycling and Swimming championships and probabaly break a record or two.
Unlike last year when it was held at the National Stadium at Providence, this year’s championships have been scheduled to take place at the Guyana Defence Force ground at Camp Ayanganna simply because regional cricket in the form of the inaugural Professional Cricket League, a franchise-based regional four-day competition run by the West Indies Cricket Board will stage matches at Providence.
Garret will go into the upcoming Nationals brimming with confidence following his outstanding performance at the recent North Georgetown District Inter Zone Championships.
At that championships held at the Guyana Police Force ground, Eve Leary,
Garret ran the 800 and 1500 for athletes under 16 years of age and won both.
What was special about Garrett’s performance however, was that the youngster’s 800m time was the fastest of the day faster than the older competitors.
What was Garrett’s 800m time? Unofficially it was clocked at
2.04.33s while the U18 winner was clocked at 2.12.5s and the U-20 winner at 2.09s. All the times are unofficial.
Garret, who trains at the Police Progressive Youth Club under the watchful eyes of Lyndon Wilson and Mark Scott, will be contesting the U16
800, 1500 and 3000m at the November 17-21 Nationals.
At last year’s Nationals Garrett smashed the U14 800m record clocking two minutes and 12 seconds.
Garrett will go into this year’s Nationals with a Personal Best of two minutes and four seconds but, having trained very hard for this year’s Nationals and having shown rapid improvement this season, that mark could be under threat.
“Before the Nationals I want to train as hard as possible and be focussed so that I can run a faster time than 2.04s, possibly under the two minute barrier. And set a new record,” Garret told Stabroek Sports.
Here’s hoping that young Garret’s wishes, all of them, come true and that come November 22, the name Jeremy Garrett will be on everybody’s lips.
