By Roberta Gayode Modin
The retired global sprint record holder, Asafa Powell, has disclosed that consistent training from childhood has placed Jamaica ahead of other countries in the world athletics games.
According to him, training begins for athletes as early as age 7, and they are allowed to compete in various stages of championship games before making it to the nationals.
“We have kids running from age 7. We have the championship for preparatory schools, to high school, and then we move on to college. So it’s like training comes at a very young age,” he said.
“The high school championship is even bigger than the senior championship. So when you make it to the championships, it’s almost like the Olympics, and it’s the biggest event of its kind. We have people from across the world, and college coaches come to recruit athletes,” he added.
The world’s fourth-fastest man, Powell, disclosed that he was instrumental in changing the narrative where athletes travel outside the country to be trained.
He added that he is in Ghana to share his experience in Ghana.
The 40-year-old retired sprinter, who is specialized in the 100-meter, arrived in Ghana with his wife, Alyshia, on February 27, 2023, and was welcomed by a delegation headed by the President of the Ghana Olympics Committee (GOC), Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah.