Track and field standout, Chantoba Bright, says that she was happy with her performance after returning from her first South American U-23 Championship in Ecuador this past weekend with a silver and bronze medal in tow.
Bright barely missed the gold in the triple jump and snatched bronze in her long jump pet event, but the 21 year-old was enthused with how she disturbed the sand after returning from injury earlier in the season.
“I didn’t know what to expect because I was unable to train over the summer after undergoing a surgical procedure on my jumping leg and I’ve only had five weeks of ground training since being back at school.”
Bright added “I’ve done no preparation whatsoever for the meet, so I was going on previous experience, and despite all that I was still able to medal in both jumps even though it was nowhere close to my personal best,” Bright said.
Bright, who competes in the NCAA with Kansas State, finished with a distance of 13.08m in the triple jump and 6.09m in the long jump.
Brazil’ s Nerisnelia Dos Santos barely out dueled Bright for the gold to win the event with a leap of 13.15m.
Dos Santos’ countrywomen, Thaina Fernandes (6.44m) and Lissandra Campos (6.33m) occupied the other podium spots ahead of Bright in her pet long jump event.
Bright has a personal best of 6.48m in the long jump, and 13.53m; both of which she established this year.
The most decorated junior athlete of this era, who hails from Victory Valley, Linden, reasoned that she was happy to once again be in action in the ‘pits’, adding “because summer was rough; not being able to train. I sat down for a little over two months, not being able to do anything.”
Bright lauded the support of her coach at Kansas State, and Coach Johnny Gravesande, saying, “They understood what I was going through and they didn’t pressure me to go out there and perform as if I was in shape, but they were confident enough that I can go there and still manage to do well and have fun.
“I’m blessed to have medalled and it’s sad that I was the only medallist. I would have loved for my fellow teammates to have made the podium also because it would have been better for Guyana as we try to advance the sport,” Bright said.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s other representative at the event, Daniel Williams finished 7th in the 200m finals (21.59s) and 5th in the 400m finals (48.99s) while Noelex Holder didn’t make it out of his heat in the 100m and 200m.
Joanna Archer, according to reports, was unable to make it past immigration in the South American country.
Reports are that the Texas Tech athlete’s passport did not have more than the required six-months lifespan needed to enter Ecuador. She was then forced to return to New York. Archer was considered a favourite to medal in the women’s 800m.
The team was coached by Johnny Gravesande and managed by Orin Thomas.
