ROAD TO CHAMPS
Alana Reid plans on smashing farewell
Published:Wednesday | March 22, 2023 | 1:18 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
WITH IMPROVEMENTS in her technical ability, Hydel High’s Alana Reid is not only trusting the results of her own growth, but her inner and spiritual strength as she is determined to leave Hydel on a winning note with a “special performance” in the Class I girls’ 100 and 200 metres double at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships (Champs).
Reid is coming off a second-place finish in the under-20 100m final at the Carifta Trials two weekends ago. But she also claimed the 200m title and has had a strong season at the sprint double.
In the 100m, she shares the second fastest time this year (11.24 seconds) with Alexis James of Petersfield High. Only Serena Cole of Edwin Allen (11.18) has run faster.
In the 200m, Reid ran 22.96 at the Carfita Trials, a millisecond away from her personal best in the event.
Jamaica got a preview of the much-anticipated Class I 100m clash that could spark fireworks in just about a week’s time at the Central Championships where she beat Cole, albeit both running well away from their personal bests.
That experience has reinforced Reid’s confidence.
“I always tend to put people before myself and having my coaching staff and my teammates really gives me the push and the drive to know that I can go out there and do those things that I am capable of,” Reid told The Gleaner.
“Going out there, I know that pressure is on me because I have other competitors out there. But I always tell myself to trust in God and I know that God has a plan for me.”
Reid has always been a better 200 runner with supreme ability to run the curve; however, her rapid improvement over the shorter sprint, she says, has come from adjustments to her start and to her finish.
REFOCUSED
“Coach (Corey) Bennett has been focusing on my start and on my finish. It would be my finish. I normally tend to ease up before the line. So during training, I came back and refocused and just go out there to tell myself that I can do it,” Reid said.
“I just have to focus on my start and on my finish and just execute a good race. Each time I ran the 100m this season my times improved and that sign shows that I have been doing well in training.”
After winning the sprint double in Class IV in her first time at Champs, she hopes for an ideal swansong by doing so again in her final year before heading off to the University of Oregon this fall.
“I won both the 100m and 200m in Class IV and I have medalled all the way up to class one. So it’s kind of a goal for me to set that pattern for myself,” Reid said.