Cunningham commits to going one better
High jump silver medallist wants elusive gold medal
Published:Sunday | April 10, 2022 | 12:15 AMRobert Bailey - Gleaner Writer
“I AM a little tired of silver.” Those are the words of Wolmer’s Girls’ Malaika Cunningham, who had to settle for second place in the girls’ Class One high jump event at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday evening.
Cunningham leapt to a new personal best mark of 1.76 metres to finish runner-up to Edwin Allen’s Ahshareah Enoe, who also cleared 1.76, but had got over the height on her second attempt. Cunningham only got over 1.76 on the third time of asking.
Chenessa Davis from Excelsior won the bronze with a leap 1.65.
Cunningham, who is still without a gold medal in her Champs career from four attempts, has now won three straight silvers and a bronze in the event.
“It is a bittersweet moment because you want to win and you come out here to win every time,” said Cunningham.
“But at the same time, you can’t be unappreciative because a lot of people PR (personal record) and they don’t come anything and I am grateful enough to PR and still walk away with something, but yes I am a bit tired of silvers,” she said.
FEW MISSTEPS
The 17-year-old Cunningham, who was competing in her first year in Class One, had improved on her lifetime best of 1.75m in the final. She added that she did all that she could to win the gold medal but a few missteps with her technique caused her not to finish atop the podium.
“I think I just have to continue to focus on what Sir is talking about. Continue to drive up, kick faster because it wasn’t a matter that I couldn’t do it, it was just a matter of getting the technique down right and it will happen,” Cunningham said.
“I have been putting in the work training wise. I think it is just a matter of on the day, just executing and kicking a bit faster, cleaning up some stuff around the edges,” Cunningham said.
“Next year, I will have to come back harder and stronger, every year you have to get better and so that’s the goal,” she said.
“Going back to the drawing board and come back for something big for next year.”