Jamaica Gleaner

Bailey seeking to make the most of WChamps experience

-

LONDON, England: IMPROVING LONG jumper Ramone Bailey is hoping that the lessons learnt from his competing at the IAAF World Championsh­ips will prepare him for years of top level jumping as he looks to build on his personal best 8.16m leap, which booked his ticket to London.

Bailey, the former Wolmer’s Boys standout, achieved the mark on his way to his first national title in June but he knows that there is a lot more to accomplish as he gears up for the biggest challenge of his young career.

“I always compete better when everyone else is jumping better so I think with the competitio­n and experience of the others here, it should help me to get some big distances,” said Bailey ahead of his competitio­n on Friday at 7:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. Jamaica time)

UNIQUE OPPORTUNIT­Y

“I am hoping to make the most of this opportunit­y and I hope it will help prepare me for the years to come and also help to give advice to other youngsters coming up in the same discipline,” said

Bailey who added that he is looking forward to his first internatio­nal championsh­ips at the senior level.

“I am very happy to go out and represent the country, so I can say that I am very pleased just to be here to wear the colours and have the name on my shirt,” he said.

“Honestly, at the time it was unbelievab­le that I made the team. It was something I was training for and hoping I would achieve, but when it actually happened, I still could not believe it,” he shared.

“The short-term goal is to make it to the final, and hopefully, I can make it into the top eight and lay it all on the field,” added Bailey.

 ??  ?? BAILEY
BAILEY

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Jamaica