If something is not done to improve the track at the National Stadium, Ryan Brathwaite will not be competing at the national championships in June.
While he remains firmly committed to representing Barbados and defending his 110 metres hurdles title at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, he is fearful of sustaining an injury which would end his season.
“I would like them to repair the track before June or I won’t be competing for nationals at the Stadium,” Brathwaite said frankly in a recent interview.
“This is too long they keep saying that the track is suppose to be being fixed, but nothing has been done yet. If they want more medals – not only me – but if they want to see the upcoming athletes perform and get to the top, they need to work on getting the track done.”
Last year, Brathwaite came home and ran on the surface before going off to compete at the North America Central America and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 Championships in Florida, and the Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico. He won a silver medal at the former and gold at the latter, but also suffered from shin splints and minor aches.
Brathwaite listed a litany of faults with the track which was laid in 1999.
“It is too hard. It has no grip.
There are holes in the track. If you start from the starting blocks and get out, you are going to slip because there is a hole there. There are holes on the backstretch.”
Part of the 22-year-old’s frustration stems from the length of time promises have been made to repair the track.
A new one was supposed to have been laid in time for last year’s championships, but that never materialised.
During the presentation of colours to the standard bearers for the various games in June last year, Minister of Sports Stephen Lashley also promised a new track.
“The Ministry . . . is also pressing ahead with plans to ensure that the National Stadium[’s] athletic track is replaced to satisfy international standards and to provide our athletes with fitting conditions to assist with their preparations. It is quite an extensive project but we are focused on its completion in time for the 2010 athletic season in December,” he said at that time.
However, the first meet for 2011 was held last Saturday on the same old track and the date capital works will start remains a mystery.
“It is when you keep promising and saying the track is going to be done. If you are going to start working on that project, do it. If you keep saying . . . you will be waiting forever. That is why a lot of athletes in Barbados are finishing, giving up, getting tired of everything. There is no support,” Brathwaite added.
However, he told MIDWEEK SPORT he was looking forward to competing at the Pan Am Games in Mexico in October, but his main focus was the World Championships from August 27 to September 4.
But in order to represent Barbados, Brathwaite is required to compete at the national championships.
Back in 1998, Barbados’ top athlete Obadele Thompson didn’t compete at nationals, also citing concerns about the existing track after picking up a hamstring injury there in June 1997.
His father Alvin Thompson said then: “Oba will not be taking part in the nationals. That is the decision from our side. We find that the condition of the track is such that Oba cannot participate without a high risk of injury.”
Thompson didn’t compete, placing his chances of going to the Commonwealth Games in jeopardy. However, he was granted an exemption and went on to win a bronze medal in the 100 metres in Kuala Lumpur.
Should Brathwaite choose not to compete, the executive, which will be decided at the annual general meeting on Thursday, will have to deal with that issue.
Ironically, Brathwaite is home doing rehabilitation work on a left hamstring injury he picked up doing offseason workouts overseas.
