Photos by O’Neil A. Reid
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Webb (above) and Nalty
(below)
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On the eve of the CARIFTA Games to be held at the Truman Boddon Sport Complex April 3 to 5 in George Town, Cayman, the country’s dynamic trio of Chantelle Morrison (sprints), and Travis Webb and Ashleigh Nalty (jumps) seem ready to win medals. At the time-trial meet held Saturday, March 19,
Caribbean TrackLife
caught up with the athletes as well as their coaches Tyrone Yen and Kendrick Williams, the national track and field coach and technical director.
Chantelle Morrison:
The somewhat shy Morrison, 16, says she’s ready for the Games. “We are training seven days a week and training is good,” says Morrison. “I am excited about CARIFTA and my goal is to medal in the 100m. She finished third in the girls U17 100m at 2009 CARIFTA in St Lucia. Morrison, not yet sure of her career path, says she loves reggae, soca and R&B and identifies science as her favorite subjects.
Travis Webb:
Webb, who turns 18 September 20, has a personal best 6.83m in the long jump and 2.03m in the high jump is again ready to stand on the podium. Webb was a bronze medalist in the U-17 high jump in 2009. “Training is going very well and we have been training seven day a week,” he says. “I am working hard and I know that I can make the finals in my events. My goal is definitely to medal in the long jump and the high jump.”
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Kendrick Williams
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Morrison and Coach Yen
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President of the Cayman Island Athletic Association (CIAA) Rayle Roberts describes Travis as “a very talent athlete, who is a fierce competitor”. Webb says he has an excellent relationship with Coach Tyrone Yen, and list reggae and dancehall as his favorite music.
Ashleigh Nalty:
This jumper has a personal best 1.73m in the high jump and hopes to give herself a birthday gift in the form of a CARIFTA medal for her country. Ashleigh will turn 16 during the Games and is very excited about the prospect of winning a medal. “I will improve on my personal best at CARIFTA and I am expecting to medal,” says the confident Nalty. “Training is going good and we train seven days a week; Coach is always on us.”
This will be Ashleigh’s third CARIFTA Games. “I have been doing this since I was 13 years old,” says the teen who was inspired to do track by her father. The aspiring lawyer loves social studies and hopes to get a scholarship to study overseas.