Focussed on making the Wright steps

NATIONAL men’s long jump record holder Andwuelle Wright, said despite qualifying for the 2019 World Championships, there is no time for relaxation and he has to stay in top shape as the meet is still two and a half months away.

Just four days after winning gold at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 Championships in Mexico, Wright was already back in training, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, yesterday.

Wright, 21, has a hectic schedule leading up to the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, from September 27 - October 6. He said, “We have our (national) championships in the next three weeks, then I leave to go Pan Am Games in Peru, then we might be off to Europe to train and compete in some meets over there and then World Championships later this year.”

Wright is not thinking about the World Championships yet, but more about his preparation. “It is far, World Championships is in late September, (early) October, so I have to get the work in to make sure the muscles still functioning good.”

At the NACAC Games, Wright broke his own national men’s long jump record with a huge effort of 8.25m, tying him for the fifth best in the world for 2019. Leading the way this year is American Jeff Henderson with a 8.38m performance.

The achievement by Wright booked him a spot at the 2019 World Championships and he also met the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying standard. Wright’s leap also broke the NACAC games record of 8.03m previously held by Cuban Wilfredo Martinez since 2006.

Discussing his performance last week Wright said, “I feel great knowing that I could have gone out and represent(ed) my country and do well and also break the games record, my own national record and producing a World Championships and Olympic qualification standard.”

The former Carifta gold medallist said his dream of competing at the Olympics is now a reality. “Most young kids growing in the sport of track and field their biggest dream is to be at the Olympics, because that is the highest stage in track and field. It is just like a footballer’s dream to go and play for his country in the World Cup. It is a dream to represent your country in the Olympics and making the standard and being able to go out there and do that has been my dream.”