Wibisco trio for Puerto Rico

THREE MORE of WIBISCO’s stars are college-bound.CARIFTA athletes Rico Tull and Jenila Atherley, along with middle distance runner Nadia Cummins are the most recent track and field juniors taking their talents abroad after acquiring four-year athletic scholarships to attend the University of Turabo in Puerto Rico.It’s not the first time the track club has sent athletes to the Spanish-speaking United States territory, as these latest juniors, who will be studying international marketing, are just three of 28 WIBISCO athletes to study in Puerto Rico.“It’s a grand opportunity because they will get first-hand knowledge of Spanish on the spot and a foreign language is very important for international marketing,” said Stars head coach and founder Jerston Clarke.“Puerto Rico is a fantastic place and they can make themselves a future out of this because all of the others that went before have enjoyed great success in their professional lives.”A one-time CARIFTA captain and medallist, Tull is coming off a great year where he lost just one 200 metres race all season while turning in credible performances in the 100 metres.“I want to get my degree, come back home to a good job and hopefully make the Olympics one day,” said the former Louis Lynch and Lodge School student.The multi-talented Atherley, a 400-metre runner as well as a shot put, discus and javelin thrower, and 400 metres to 800 metres specialist Cummins, expressed similar sentiments while thanking Clarke and assistant coach Julian Layne.“I am very, very proud of them, especially Nadia because I was personally able to help her prepare for track,” said Layne, himself a former WIBISCO track athlete who acquired an overseas-based scholarship.“I’ve told them that the first thing that comes is their studying and then track. They have to balance the two because when you have exams and track you have to make both of them work.”Through Clarke, WIBISCO Stars have sent 236 athletes overseas on scholarships during the club’s 36 years.