By Anthony Foster in Georgetown, Guyana 

She followed up on her 2012 World Junior Championships silver medal to win Carifta Games and CAC Junior Championships titles in 2014, but quarter-miler Kadecia Baird has since struggled to get her footing right.

“A lot has happened. Dealing with a lot of injuries, trying to get my mentality right being in college, it was just really a hard process for me and it damaged me a whole lot,” said Guyana’s lone medallist in World Junior Championships history.

“It damaged me mentally and physically, so now I am trying to get myself back together, mentally and physically with my old coach, so things coming pretty good,” explained Baird, who has not broken 52 seconds in over two years.

Asked if her mental and physical damage were caused from college work load, she replied: “Yes, it definitely did.”?“Stuff that my body wasn’t use to, like the way I used to train, the way I used to get stuff done, it was so much different for me, something that wasn’t for me, so it was a hard process.”??Baird known as the ‘Closer’ said things are looking better lately.

“With training and competing, I think I am exactly where I need to be right now, last weekend I ran 52.4, so I think I am where I need to be now,” said the 21-year-old.

She is yet to secure the Olympic Standard, which must be achieved between 1 May 2015 and 11 July 2016, but remains confident.

“I had a hard season dealing with injuries, so now I am trying to get myself back together.

“Based on how my training is going, I am very confident that (getting the Olympic Standard 52.20) is going to happen,” added the 51.04 Guyanese Junior record holder.

Baird will run on local soil for the first time at Saturday’s (18 June) Aliann Pompey Invitational set for the Leonora Stadium.

“I think it's going to be pretty exciting, because you have all that adrenaline rush because you have all your family and fans supporting you here,” she said of her expectations.

“I think its going to be a good meet, a good meet to run fast times,” she added. “My main objective going into this race is just to execute my race and I know if I do it, I will run a fast time.

I am not looking for a particular time right now, but I know if I do what I am suppose to do, and do what I train for, I am going to run a good time.” 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here