Jamaica’s rising star Akeem Bloomfield, in a recent interview with IAAF, spoke about his low moments in the sport.
Bloomfield, who just finished his best season in track and field, described missing out on London 2017 World Championships as “lowest moment”.
“All year I trained alongside my team-mate Nathon Allen with the main goal for the year making the World Championship team. However, at the NCAA Championships – just two weeks before the World Championship Trials – I picked up a hamstring injury.
“I was competing in the final at NCAA’s when I felt a sharp grab in my hamstring about 60 metres into the race. I didn’t want to stop, so I tried to run within my comfort zone for the remainder of the race, but I could only finish fifth in 45.13 (in a race won by Fred Kerley in 44.10).
“I had picked up a cramp in my hamstring and training for the next two weeks ahead of the Jamaican Championships was a real struggle. Then at trials, it just didn’t happen for me as I was eliminated by finishing fifth in my heat in 48.07.
“It took a long time to recover from the setback. I went into a huge depression that summer. I had to sit and watch my friends competing at the World Championships (including his teammate Allen who finished fifth in the 400m final) while I was home. I was so disappointed in myself, I went home to mum and cried. I felt like a failure.”
Bloomfield, this year, ran personal best times of 19.81 (200m) and 43.94 (400m).
