Hawthorne patient with Chambers

Daniel Chambers has slipped under the radar for high school athletics as injuries prevented the young sprinter from competing at last year’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs). The athlete, however, will be hoping for a healthy 2020 season after making some changes.

Chambers is the younger brother of former St Jago High School starlet Raheem Chambers. His following in his sibling’s path has been hampered by injuries, but the athlete is determined to return to the fore.

To do this, he made the switch from St Jago to Wolmer’s Boys as he wanted to be under the guidance of his former coach, Danny Hawthorne. Hawthorne was the man behind Chambers’ success in Class Three when the duo was at St Jago, and feels this was the main reason behind the switch.

“I am of the opinion that he had wanted to come when I was leaving St Jago, but I was somewhat hesitant in taking him then,” Hawthorne said. “However, because of injuries over the last few years that have kept him out of Champs and other activities, he decided to ask me again. I said given his persistence, I would see what I can do.”

The experienced track coach, who guided the likes of national representatives Yohan Blake, Nathon Allen, and Nickel Ashmeade, said his main objective for Chambers this year is to keep the athlete healthy, despite the young sprinter having much to prove.

“I want to keep him healthy so he can be of some help to himself and do some good running this year,” he said. “He hasn’t been running at Champs because he has been injured for the last few years. He is somewhat settled now but I still see a little anxiety. He wants to run too fast, too early. I need to remind him to slow down, and to take time to heal.”

It is understood that Chambers has been showing glimpses of brilliance in the time trials at Wolmer’s training sessions.

While Hawthorne could not confirm at the time if his athlete would be running at the upcoming Purewater/Danny Williams track meet at Jamaica College this Saturday, he has said that he has high expectations for Chambers.

“ I always expect the best from my athletes,” Hawthorne said. “As a coach, that’s my area, to help them improve. I expect nothing less from him than to do his best. I like to think that all my athletes are medal prospects.”

– Gregory Bryce