‘Mind over body’

TIA CLAYTON had a dream start to professional competition this year. Something is different.

This time around, half of the famous Edwin Allen twins has decided she will be claiming her spot among the greats.

“Coming into my first season at MVP track Club I was mentally weak as normally when I feel a bit tired, or a little niggle I would stop. But in my second season, it all changed. For me it was mind over body as I learned to push with pain,” she said.

Before this season, Tia lived in the shadow of twin sister, Tina, during a junior career where her best performances came in relays.

In Nairobi, Kenya, and in Cali, Colombia, Tia ran the anchor leg on the world record 4x100-metre relay teams at the World Under-20 Championships. At both meets, Tina captured the 100m titles.

Competing at her first national senior championships in June, the then 19-year-old Tia rose to stardom, finishing second in the women’s 100 metres in 10.90 seconds, getting the better of many-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who was third, to book her individual ticket to the Paris Olympic Games.

Before that, she had won her semifinal in a personal best 10.86, dipping below 11 seconds for the first time in her life.

While everybody else was surprised, making the team to the Olympics was a matter of course in the teenager’s mind.

“Based on what I was doing in training and with this new mindset, I was very confident of making the team despite having a little niggle ahead of the finals.”

Tia then became the youngest woman to make an Olympic final, finishing a creditable seventh. She also ran the anchor leg on the women’s 4x100m relay team which finished fifth.

Clayton went on to compete on the European circuit where she had success at the Silesia Diamond League, winning in a wind-aided 10.83, the same time given to veteran, Marie-Josée Ta Lou Smith of Cote d’Ivoire.

Diamond League miss

Tia missed out on the Diamond League final in Brussels by a spot, ending ninth spot with 15 points, just one behind the United States Sha’Carri Richardson.

“I only have myself to blame for not making the finals, as I did not execute well at the Zurich meet which cost me a spot in the finals,” said Tia who ended sixth in 11.09.

Despite all that, Tia has still gone back to the national championships as being the best performances of the season.

“I must say going sub-11 seconds on three occasions was amazing, but my best two performances were my semifinal run at the national championships and my first Diamond League success in Silesia,” she said.

What’s next?

“I will just have to put in the work as the aim is to do better and make it to the World Championships next year.”

Though there is a long road ahead, Tia still has to look back because she knows she didn’t get here by herself.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all those who have supported me over the years, especially the coaching staff at MVP for the past two seasons.

“I will continue to make everybody proud.”