media_artricles :: 2017

The Jewel of St Agnes Anglican School

With her exploits over the past two years, 11 year old Janika Jordan has won the adoration of her school, her community of Diamond Vale and that of her friends and family.

Last weekend Janika became the top Under 12 female athlete in the country to add to an already bulging bag of successes. The speedy lass added the 100 and 200 metres title to her name at the National Primary Schools Track and Field Championships last Wednesday.

Janika has shown that she was the best Under 9 athlete in T&T in 2015 when she won every event that she competed at on the NAAA's circuit. That's not all, the young speedster carried all before her at the Port of Spain Central Games and the Port of Spain Rotary Games.

So who said lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place.

This year, the 'lovable and likeable' Janika ensured she again stamped her authority on the track and repeated her exploits of two years ago when racing to success in every major event on this Twin Island Republic.

When asked what motivated her to perform at the highest level, Janika replied, 'My mother and father. They always encourage me along with my coaches and teachers. They stand with me all the way and I always get the support."

Janika's coach at her club Cougars, Abeyola Akowe, was full of praise for her charge and said, "Once Janika trains hard, it will be difficult to beat her. She's had great battles with Jane DeGannes from Tobago and Sierra Joseph of Simplex Athletic Club but again she came out on top when it matters most. Janika is easy to coach and once she wants it, someone will have to make a super performance to deny her, as she knows that hard work pays off."

The Diamond Vale resident knows that success does not come easy and said, "I know that I had to beat Sierra and Janae to win at the NAAA Juvenile Championship and I did not miss one day of training for three weeks. That is how much I wanted to be the Under 12 champion.

"I did not only want to win for my club Cougar, I wanted to continue the success of my school which won the National Under 12 football title for the first time in 2016. My becoming the champion will further boost our school."

Janika's Standard Four teacher Kezzy Coutain believes that she is improving with her academics. She stated, "Janika is a good student who is focused and wants to be the best that she can be. Once she continues as she is going she will have the best of the two worlds."

Janika who has been given the name "Hulk' by her contemporaries because of her size, said that her Sports Teacher David Thomasos spotted her at age seven and she started representing T&T at the CUT Games in 2013. Thomasos had this to say, "Janika is a very coachable individual and will continue to improve because of her temperament. I think she is the Jewel of our school, St. Agnes."

Top