media_artricles :: 2016

MEET THE CHAMP

Face-to-face with sprinter Sarah Wollaston

Sarah Wollaston is the national junior sprint champion. Last month, the diminutive athlete clocked 12.04 seconds to capture the girls' under-20 100 metres title at the NAAA NGC/THA National Junior Track and Field Championships, in Tobago.

Wollaston is the training partner of 2015 IAAF World Youth Championship 100m silver medallist Khalifa St Fort, and is coached by Ato Boldon. Little else is known about the America-born Trinidad and Tobago sprinter.

In an effort to learn more, Trinidad Express sports journalist Kwame Laurence (KL) had an extended chat with Wollaston (SW).

KL: What is your Trinidad and Tobago connection?
SW: My mother was born and raised in Trinidad, and she moved to America. I was born in America but I've actually been to Trinidad since I was six. I spend a lot of time between Jamaica and Trinidad because my dad's Jamaican, but recently I started to spend more time in Trinidad. I actually really do enjoy it, and when I was running, I decided I don't want to run for USA and I don't want to run for Jamaica. I want to run for Trinidad, and that was way before I met Coach Ato or I knew anything about the camp.

KL: When did you start athletics?
SW: I've been in athletics since I was probably three. I kind of jumped between gymnastics, dance, soccer, but when I was in third grade, about nine years old, I ran a 50-yard dash and I ended up running really well. My soccer coach at the time saw the race, and he was like, "You should really put her in track." The next year I gave up soccer and tried track for one year. My coach moved me out of the sprints because he felt I was too small and too young to be running the sprints, so he moved me up to the 800, and I ended up winning the State Championship that year and went to the Junior Olympics for the 800.

KL: How did you get connected with Coach Ato?
SW: I used to train at the same track every now and then that Khalifa trains at. I would see her practicing, and my mom was like, "Sarah, do you want to go and train?" I didn't feel I was ready yet. Eventually, I told my mom I'm ready to go, I'll change my club. My mom got in contact with Khalifa's dad, and that's how I got into contact with Coach Ato.

KL: What kind of coach is Ato Boldon?
SW: In his words, sometimes he's nice, sometimes he's hard. And it's true, because sometimes we need to be disciplined, we need to have that strict coaching to get the times that we want in practice. And then, sometimes he's very understanding, and he lets us try to work through what we're going through to get where we want to go. He is kind of like a father-figure, especially when we go away. We're always, "Coach, can we do this? Coach, can we eat this?" We always look to him for what we should be doing.

KL: How did you enjoy your first National Championship meet—the Junior Champs in Tobago?
SW: To be honest, I was kind of nervous because I've never actually run three rounds in one day before. Coach, he kept telling me, "you trained for this, you're going to be fine." The first round, I wasn't satisfied with it. By the second round, I was kind of up and going again, and I actually ended up running really well. The final was extremely hectic, because I had just gotten back to the hotel and getting ready to relax. All of a sudden, we got a call that they're moving up the 100 final. We rushed over to the track to warm up. I was thinking of all the things that could go wrong, but I wanted it so much that I wasn't going to let any of that get into my head. I just went out there and ran my best, and I ended up getting the win.

KL: How do you assess T&T's chances in the women's 4x100 metres relay at the IAAF World U20 Championships?
SW: We have a very good chance. Khalifa and I being partners already, we have a really great chemistry. The one to two hand-off is going to be great. And adding the under-18 girl who ran 11.79 at Junior Champs (Jenea Spinks) to the team would make us so much stronger…three extremely strong legs. And whoever they choose for the next one, I'm sure she'll be just as strong. We'll be able to more than handle ourselves against the competition.

KL: Does it help to have a Trini as a coach and a Trini as a training partner?
SW: I also have Richard (Thompson) as my training partner too, so I feel very connected. I know I have the American accent, but I don't feel different. I may not live here, but it's still home to me too. And we go through the whole cultural thing. We always train to soca music, and we always talk about things that are happening in Trinidad. They even say sometimes I put on a Trini accent. I really do enjoy having them.

KL: What do you like to do when you're in T&T?
SW: My favourite thing to do is probably go to Maracas. I haven't gone this year, but I love going there. I always would go with my mom. I've been trying to get Khalifa to go, but time always gets in the way. I love to eat doubles here, but we can't tell coach that, because that's another thing that we can't eat. I love to just be around, driving around and seeing everything.

KL: What are your overall career goals in athletics?
SW: I want to continue running for Trinidad as long as possible. There's nothing more addictive than doing what you love. I loved track before, but these past six months have probably been the best six months of my life. It's such a great experience, and I want to keep experiencing these things. I do track now to try to aim for a scholarship, to get a full ride to a good school. But I've always had this thought that if I had the chance, I wouldn't say no to going pro. It's an opportunity in life you can't give up. You don't want to think: "What if?" If I do it, and it doesn't work out, then I always have my education to fall back on.

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