Raymond Graham, Star Writer

AFTER representing her native Bahamas at the junior and senior levels for many years, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie will now turn her attention to coaching. Ferguson-McKenzie recently took up a coaching post at the University of Houston as the female coach for sprints and hurdles. She will team up with head coach Leroy Burrell, assistant coach Floyd Heard, and volunteer coach Carl Lewis, who have all represented the United States with success at the senior level.

A sprint athlete of Jamaican descent, Ferguson-McKenzie was a specialist in the 100m and 200m, where she had major success at both the junior and senior levels. She was a member of the Bahamas' 4x100m relay team that won gold at the 1999 World Championships and followed up that with another relay gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

She landed her first major individual success at the 2001 World Championship, where she captured the gold medal in the women's 200m.

Ferguson-McKenzie has won 52 Olympic and World Championships medals and was a 10-time national champion in the 100m and 200m.

Ferguson-McKenzie told the Houston Athletic website that she is very excited with her new appointment.

"It feels like a fairy tale," said Ferguson-McKenzie. "Like something you read in a book, but it's real life. I'm looking forward to learning from the staff. I grew up watching Leroy, and now I am hired by him and he's my boss and colleague. It's a dream come true."

"I want us to work hard but also have fun. Our goal as a team is to be number one. It won't be easy, but we have to keep pushing."

According to the school website, head coach Burrell is looking forward to the experience coming into the programme by Ferguson-McKenzie.

"Debbie (Ferguson-McKenzie) will be a tremendous asset to our programme in her role not only as a coach and mentor to our female athletes but she brings a wealth of recruiting connections not only in the Caribbean, but throughout the world," said Burrell.