Javonya Valcourt competes in the heats of the 400 metres during the 50th CARIFTA Games at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium over the weekend. Photo: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff
BY TENAJH SWEETING
tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
UNIVERSITY of Tennessee freshman Javonya Valcourt brought her talents to Thomas A Robinson National Stadium for the 50th CARIFTA Games this past weekend.
The young athlete qualified for this year’s games in January, being one of the first eight athletes to be considered for Team Bahamas.
She qualified for this past Easter weekend’s games after she ran a time of 54.24 seconds in the University of Tennessee’s 400m competition. The CARIFTA-qualifying mark for the under 20-division was 55.20.
After punching her ticket to her home country’s CARIFTA Games, she decided to make her presence felt on home soil on the track.
On day one, Valcourt and Lacarthea Cooper finished second and third in under 20 girls 400m action. Valcourt finished behind Jamaica’s Rickiann Russell after notching a time of 52.12. Cooper picked up bronze with 53.12.
The under 20 competitor talked about how it felt to add a silver medal to the fold for Team Bahamas.
She said it felt great to get the win in the 400m race and her main strategy was to get out off the curve, stay away from Jamaica, and run fast.
Valcourt once again performed in the men and women’s 4x400m relay open. The race proved to be an exciting one for the home crowd as the best overall team strategy won. Team Bahamas had the best strategy for how to execute the multi-sex 4x400m relays.
The team was constructed for the girl competitors to run the first and second legs and the boys to run the third and fourth leg.
Valcourt and Cooper once again held their own in the race despite running against male competitors from the other Caribbean countries throughout the race.
On the final leg of the race, Shimar Bain brought home the gold medal for Team Bahamas after notching first place and the team collectively ran a time of 3:24.62.
Valcourt said she was a little worried on the first leg but she trusted in her team and just wanted to put them in a good position. Her performance in the 400m finals was a new personal best for the athlete. Her time is the new standard at the freshman level for the Lady Vol track programme and, at the under-20 level, it ranks 26th globally at the senior level.
Valcourt made the home crowd proud and left it all on the track this past weekend.
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