media_artricles :: 2015

Fatima ready for Penn Relays

THE PENN Relays are one of the longest-running, most recognised international high school track events in the world. Several Trinidad and Tobago schools compete at the prestigious event, which is run off annually at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.

One such school, Fatima College, is hoping to leave its mark, come this year’s edition between April 23-25. Having participated at every one since 2011, the school’s small group is approaching this year’s campaign with a sense of destiny, and with good reason.

Fatima will be contesting the 4x100-metre and the 4x400m relays in the Large School category. “Essentially we should be running our fastest times this year,” their coach, Nigel Cooper said last week, as the sprint relay squad went through a baton-passing drill. “They are within the range of 41-42 (seconds) flat, easily, because there are two to three guys who are going to run sub-11 (seconds).”

Cooper, a former middle-distance runner who now teaches Accounting at his Alma Mater, ought to know. He pays as much attention to their progress as he does to their training regimen; so he can, at the flick of a page, tell what any runner did at the national CARIFTA Trials last year, or that runner’s split at the Relays in 2012.

Since Fatima’s entry five years ago, the sprint relay team has clocked times of 43.7 seconds, 44.26 (2012) and 42.97 (2013), before injury problems in 2014 led to a disappointing 44.04.

Heading the team in both experience and physical stature is Xavier Molugata, an 18-year-old who runs in both relay squads.

“He started running at seven,” beamed Cooper, “and made his Penn debut in 2011, while in Form Two.” Other members include Alexei Nicholas, Kadeem Campbell, Micaih Joseph and Bevon Gordon.

The commitment is there; they all train, asserted Cooper, “from Sunday to Sunday, with the occasional break,” and yet their academic progress at school has not suffered.

“They are phenomenal,” reflected coach Cooper, watching his charges from the bleachers in the Fatima Pavilion. “ I don’t think I used to train at that level, and I was pretty disciplined. These guys, the majority of them are training Sunday to Sunday, the gym is on at least three days a week, they may have a meet in-between, say on a Friday or Saturday, and the next day, they’re in school.”

Interestingly, the preparation has all been on the grass track at the school ground in Mucurapo, and in the gym. Cooper plans to follow the pattern that has worked for them before: they will have just two “run-outs” on the track at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo before flying out.

Fatima’s best 4x100m placing in the last four years at the Relays was 17th out of 273, in the Large-School category (2013).

Whether or not they finish in the top 10, one lofty accomplishment would make it all worthwhile - breaking the 42-second mark and bringing further glory to a school that has produced many outstanding sportsmen. It’s well worth the trying.

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