The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH there are a number of international stars competing in the second Chris Brown Bahamas Invitational, there will be one event that will be jammed pack with some national flavour as Donald Thomas, Trevor Barry, Ryan Ingraham and Jamal Wilson intend to take over the high jump pit on Saturday.

The quartet will be competing in what should be a prelude to the Bahamas National Track and Field Championships and final trials for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All four jumpers have already qualified for the Olympics, but only three will be eligible to compete.

“I feel great being at home is a special feeling. These are moments that I prepare for and moments that I have to be ready for,” said Wilson, the latest of the group to surpass the qualifying standard. “The electricity and the atmosphere is going to cause you to do some great things. So I feel good.”

It’s going to be one of the first times that all four competitors will square off at the same time and with the match-up being used a precursor to the nationals, Wilson said he wants to leave his impression on the rest of his rivals.

“There’s a lot of anxiety just to compete, but I want to use it to help me compete,” he said. “I’ve been jumping with them all my career, so it’s nothing new. It’s just that every time we come to compete, the person who leaves with the victory is the nation’s national champion. So I just have to be ready to jump high because they are all coming to do what they have to do.”

During the indoor season, Wilson got the opportunity to compete in Europe and also represent the Bahamas at his first IAAF World Indoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Although he didn’t place, Wilson said he enjoyed the experience so much that he wants to do it again in Rio at his first Olympics.

“My confidence level is at an all-time high because I feel as if I gathered a lot of experience this indoor season,” he said.

“I competed against the best in the world at heights that I am usually nervous at taking or opening up with at 7-feet-1 or 7-2, but that’s like nothing now. I can jump that with my clothes on now. So I’m going to be ready.”

Wilson commended Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown for putting on the invitational and is looking forward to making the Bahamina public very proud of his performance.

Barry, on the other hand, said it’s always good to be home and competing before his family and friends.

“I expect to show everybody that I’m ready to jump high and I expect to be competitive,” Barry said.

“Jamal is having an exceptional season, but I know that I’m ready to go. I think whoever makes the least mistakes will come out on top. I’m just looking forward to being in that position.

“I’m looking forward to the guys pushing me and I want to push them. I just want us to all go out there and push the bar higher than we have ever pushed it before and the best man on the day come out on top.”

Barry said he has always been impressed with what Brown has achieved as a competitor and now that he has ventured into the promotion of the sport, he’s excited to see how well he can go through the transition and as high jumpers, they just want to make their contribution to the success of the invitational.

“The men’s high jump, we will be flying high. We just want the public to come out because we are going to put on a show,” he said. “I know I’m ready to jump and I want to jump high. I know the other guys are also looking forward to competing, so it’s going to be fun here at home.”