Robinson: Throwing on the rise

Julian Robinson the man at helm of a push by local field athletes to emulate the success of their track counterparts, believes that more local coaches taking the sport seriously will lead to better results for the country on the international stage.

While the country is yet to make a great impact in the field events at the senior level, where only the likes of James Beckford and Trecia Smith in the long jump and triple jump, respectively, have shone brightly, things have been changing over the last three years as the country's junior athletes have been making a big impact in throwing events.

"More coaches are taking these throwing events seriously and people are now watching the competition here at the various meets, that is very good for the country and with the attention that the event is now getting, more athletes are turning up to take part because they now know that they are being recognised and it will get better," Robinson told Star Sports.

Robinson, the coach of Calabar High School, has made a big transformation in the area as athletes under his charge have given the country global titles in the discus and shot put. It started three years ago at the World Youth Championships in Sudtirol, Italy, where one of his charges at Calabar High School, Traves Smikle, gave the country its first medal on the international stage when he took the bronze medal in the discus with a then personal best of 61.22 metres. Since then there has been no stopping of his athletes and the past year has been a dream one for his charges.

Last year Smikle won gold at the Junior Pan Am Games and earlier in the year recorded a national junior record of 66.88 metres in his pet event. Two of his other charges Ashinia Miller and Fedrick Dacres, put the country's throwing further on the map. In fact Dacres went two places better than Smikle giving the country its first gold medal at a global meet in the throws as he won the boy's discus at the World Youth Championships in Lille, France, with a personal best of 67.05 metres. Smikle then won gold in the discus in Miramar, Florida, at the Junior Pan Am Champion-ships, the same meet Milller won shot put gold in a best of 19.97 metres.

Despite losing Smikle at Calabar this year, Robinson is confident that the success will remain with the school and the nation, because of the preparation of the athletes.

- R.G.

Julian Robinson - file