Lyston recovers in time for world juniors

COREY BENNETT, coach of junior star sprinter Brianna Lyston, said his charge is now fit and ready to compete at next month’s World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, from August 1-6.

Lyston, who has been nursing a knee injury, did not compete at the recently concluded National Junior Championships, but had received a medical exemption from the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).

The JAAA’s selection policy has a provision that allows top-ranked athletes, who can prove they were unfit to compete at the trials, the opportunity to show their return to fitness at a later date.

Outstanding season

Lyston, who has been having an outstanding season so far, is currently third in the world this year in the 200m with a time of 22.53.

Christine Mboma from Namibia is the fastest junior in the world this year with a time of 21.87, followed by her teammate Beatrice Masilingi, 22.27.

However, Mboma’s participation is in question on account of a hamstring injury.

Bennett told The Sunday Gleaner that Lyston has now fully recovered from her injuries and she is now looking forward to competing next month.

“Yes, she is ready to compete because she has been training well, but every now and then she has some soreness but generally she is ready,” said Bennett.

“It was just some soreness in the knee and so it was more a precautionary measure to keep her out of the National Championships, but she looks good in training and she will be good to go,” he said.

Lyston’s 2022 season has been highlighted by her exploits at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships in April, winning the Class One girls’ 200-metre title in a Champs record, 22.53 seconds.

She would go on to dominate the Carifta Games over the distance that same month.

Lyston is the third quickest Jamaican junior this season over the 100 metres and is the fifth fastest in the world, with a time of 11.14. Only Edwin Allen’s pair of Tina Clayton, 10.96, and Serena Cole, 11.13, have run faster than Lyston this season.

Tamari Davis of the United States, 10.91, is the fastest junior in the world this year.

Bennett, who has been coaching Lyston for the past three years at the Hydel High School, pointed out that the 18-year-old athlete is eagerly awaiting the championships, saying she desperately wants to win an individual medal at the event.

“She is enthusiastic, she is raring to go and she really wants to get on the medal podium and she has been putting in the work,” Bennett said.

“She has gotten over most of her discomfort and I think that she is at a point where she is just ready to go and compete,” he said.

The Jamaican contingent is scheduled to depart the island next Thursday for the championships.

robert.bailey@gleanerjm.com