Shivnarine Smalling

Western Bureau:

The 2014 Boys and Girls' Championships is just over a month away and several athletes have been producing very good performances.

A rising star in the west is Newell High School's, Shivnarine Smalling, who scorched the track at the recent Gatorate Western Athletics Championships at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

Smalling blew away the field to land the Class One 100m in 10.47 seconds, then returned to dominate the 200m, winning in 21.15 to complete the sprint double.

"I will be trying for the double at Champs," Smalling told STAR Sports after taking the 100m gold.

He added: "This win is deserved because I trained really hard for it. My coach pushes me to achieve big things and I think I am well on my way, so that my school, friends and my family can expect more good things from me on the track."

upper body strength

Smalling is blessed with great upper body strength, allowing him to sustain his pace over distance. In the 100m he dismissed Herbert Morrison Technical's Gawain Williams, second in 10.59, and St Elizabeth Technical's Nigel Ellis, third in 10.62.

In the 200m, he was ahead of Ellis (21.42) while Okeen Williams, also of STETHS, took the bronze in 21.51.

Smalling went into last Saturday's final day at Western Champs after jogging a comfortable 10.68 to win heat one of the semi-finals. His 10.59 in the 100m preliminary round had earlier signalled his intent.

The Class One speedster accounted for all his school's 18 points and 13th place in the boys' category. Champions Munro College retained their boys' crown with 281 points, ahead of STETHS 266, Petersfield 164 and Cornwall College 146.

"I wanted to register a better time, but I guess it was not meant to be. However, I am happy that I won both my races, and I hope to take this form into the National Champs, to give my school something special," said Smalling.

This win is deserved because I trained really hard for it. My coach pushes me to achieve big things