‘Sweet’ birthday gift!
Smikle gets anniversary present with World Championships qualifying mark
Traves smikle is one of the three men who represented Jamaica in the discus at the Olympic Games in Japan last year and he looks set to represent the country again this year, this time at the World athletics Championships in Oregon, Usa, in July.
Smikle secured the qualifying mark for the World Championships when he threw a season’s best and Jamaican world lead of 66.60m at the JAAA/SDF Jubilee Series on his birthday on Saturday and was not surprised that he hit the mark, which he has been threatening for weeks.
“Apart from training, in competition this season I have been averaging between 64m and 65m, so I always knew I was there, it’s just to get it legally. So, that was my main focus (on Saturday) and I got it,” he said.
Qualifying on his birthday made it even more special for the man who turned 30 on Saturday.
“It’s sweet because it’s my birthday. I give God thanks for life, another year around the sun and to just top it off with qualification to the World Championships.”
Smikle is now ranked 7th in the world this year and is hoping to continue moving up that list as July approaches.
“Me and my coach are working hard and we have gotten some consistency throughout the season and we see things unfolding and we just want to remain consistent and to throw far when it comes,” he explained.
With making the world standard now out of the way, patience is the watch word for Smikle as he puts the rest of his season together.
“I will just continue training diligently and be patient. For the whole season I have been patient and sometimes when I was competing, I was like when is it going to come. But nothing happens before its time and we are just going to continue with the training,” he reasoned.
With part three of the four meet series being held this weekend, it will be a quick turnaround time for Smikle as he chases even bigger throws in competition.