‘I want to redeem myself’
Edwin Allen’s Terrelonge aims for improvements in 2025
Published:Sunday | December 29, 2024 | 12:08 AMRaymond Graham - Sunday Gleaner Writer
After falling beyond expectations in competition last season, Edwin Allen High School’s 17-year-old athlete, Theianna Lee Terrelonge, will be seeking redemption when she takes to the track this season.
Terrelonge, one of the country’s most promising female sprinters, says to “expect fast times and good performances from me next year”.
She was speaking with The Sunday Gleaner at the recent Foga Road High School over distance meet, which was held at Foga Road High in Clarendon.
Last season, Terrelonge competed in her first year in Class Two at the 2024 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, capturing the 100 metres in 11.22 seconds.
However, she was denied the double, finishing second in the 200 metres in 24.31 seconds. Muschett High School’s Shanoya Douglas won the gold medal in 23.93 seconds. Both athletes competed in a negative wind of 3.5 metres per second.
Terrelonge later represented Jamaica at her first World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru. Her quest for a medal faded after the first round of the 100 metres. She placed fourth in 12.03 seconds and failed to advance to the next round. Unfortunately, this was her only appearance at the meet, as an injury forced her out of the competition.
At the recent Foga Road High over distance meet, Terrelonge competed in one event, the 300 metres, but did not finish the race.
And as she reflected on 2024, she described it as “satisfactory”.
“For me, the past season was satisfactory, and I am grateful. But I know I have the potential to do great things,” she said.
“Once I remain healthy next year, the true Terrelonge will unfold, as I had some issues at the World Under-20 Championships and I want to redeem myself.”
With personal bests of 11.13 seconds in the 100 metres and 23.53 in the 200m, the talented Terrelonge stated her preference for the shorter sprint, despite past issues with false starts.
“I like both events, but I would say that the 100 metres is my preferred event, as it is also more popular than the 200 metres,” she shared.
As a second-year Class Two athlete for the coming season, she believes her first-year experience will be invaluable.
“Competing against older athletes in my first year in the class gave me a lot of experience, which will definitely be an advantage. I am aiming to go much faster in each event,” said Terrelonge, who has set her sights on running sub-11 seconds in the 100m.
She is also confident that her Edwin Allen girl’s team will retain their title at the upcoming ISSA Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
“We have been training hard and preparing well for the upcoming season, and I am very confident we will defend our title successfully,” she said. “I just hope our fans continue to support us.”