Need to access athletes’ performances, says Oba

by Anmar Greenidge-Boyce

Retired Barbadian sprinting legend Obadele Thompson says the 2023 World Athletics Championships which start tomorrow in Budapest, Hungary, should be used as a measuring tool for development ahead of the Paris Olympics next summer.

Thompson, who remains the only Barbadian to win an individual Olympic medal when he struck bronze in the men’s 100-metre final at the Sydney Games in 2000, believes the three-member squad of Sada Williams, Desean Boyce and Jonathan Jones is full of potential.

However, he conceded that the road to the podium in Hungary will not be an easy one.

“When we think of this team, we should think about it in terms of growing, evolving and progressing towards Paris 2024, with Sada [Williams] being the one in my opinion, with the best chance of winning a medal and making a final. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to our athletes doing their best in Budapest,” Thompson said during an interview with Barbados TODAY.

Obadele Thompson

Williams, the darling of local track and field and the greatest female athlete Barbados has ever produced, arrived in Budapest ranked fourth in the world after last year’s summer of sweet success where she captured bronze in the women’s 400-metre final at the World Championships in Oregon and gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

However, so far this season, Williams has yet to dip under 50 seconds or equal her national record-breaking time of 49.75. Her season’s best is 50.00 seconds clocked on July 21 in Monaco.

“Sada has had a season that is rockier than last season but recently she has come into shape. She knows how to run at championships and the biggest thing is hopefully she is healthy and focused. She is coached by Stephen Francis who has beyond a wealth of experience in coaching champions so I am confident that she can make the final,” Thompson pointed out.

“One of the things that I always say is you have to make the finals first. If she can make the finals, she is in with a chance and I hope that medal winning pedigree turns up and she has a chance to win another medal. It is going to be difficult, more difficult than last year because of the number of women this season who have clocked sub 50, but it is not beyond her.”

Jones’ season best is 45.70 seconds, which he clocked to reach the 400-metre finals at the CAC Games, and Thompson said he is hoping the national record holder could revive his season over the next few days.

“Jonathan has had a rocky season and I know he has had a lot of injuries and unexpected things come up this season which hampered his ability to perform. He dropped out of several finals or had things go on in finals and I can only imagine how frustrated he must be, but hopefully he is back on track and is able to produce his best running of the season,” Thompson noted.

The renown sprinter said he was also excited to see how promising quarter-miler Desean Boyce will perform.

“Desean made massive improvements this year. Hopefully, he is still in shape but this is going to be new territory for him and I think these experiences are important for him to cut his teeth among the best in the world. Hopefully he uses this as a stepping stone to get ready for Paris 2024,” Thompson said.

The World Athletics Championships are slated to begin tomorrow and runs until August 27. Williams will be the first Barbadian out of the blocks on Sunday morning competing in the heats of the women’s 400-metre event.