Kelsie Campbell aspires for greatness after seven-medal haul at CISC
Since joining the Jamaican aquatics set-up, Kelsie Campbell has not only been an inspiration to her peers, but she has also established a newfound love for the team spirit.
The England-based swimmer was at the helm as one of the standout performers in the 24-member team’s impressive exploits at the 21st staging of the recently concluded Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC) in The Bahamas.
Campbell, who is of a Jamaican father, accounted for seven of the teams 46 medals in their fourth-place finish behind the host nation, Puerto Rico and Trinidad & Tobago, respectively.
The team’s 46-medal haul includes 14 gold, 21 silver and 11 bronze, of which Campbell copped two gold, one silver and four bronze over the four-day championship at the Betty Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Centre.
“I am really proud to be a part of the Jamaican team; I really felt that it has inspired my swimming and has brought me back to, and reminded me of why I started swimming in the first place. It has really inspired me to return to the swimming part of my heritage,” she said at a welcome reception to celebrate the team’s accomplishment at the Jamaica Pegasus on Tuesday.
“I was really happy with how I competed; I managed to kind of arrange the meet level back this time, because I came to Jamaica first and kind of got acclimatised, and I think that really helped in terms of not being jet-lagged,” she told the
Jamaica Observer.
“In terms of the team’s performance, I think it is really impressive. I think that is really testament to the team in not giving up, even when we were tired. It was just the whole team lifting each other up and keeping each other motivated when things got tough,” she added.
Campbell plys her trade at Nova Centurion where she balances an intense training schedule nine times a week with gym workout four times a week around schoolwork and other commitments.
However, the hard work may have paid off, as she overcame a shoulder strain and even a drug test to achieve her outstanding feat representing Jamaica for only the second time.
“I came out on the third day [and] I swam the heat of the 200m IM (individual medley) and I was in a lot of pain. So I came out and they made a decision that I should scratch that final to focus on the 100m freestyle for that day. That was the kind of decision that I didn’t take lightly because obviously I could have won a medal, but we had to do what was best for the team and what was best for me,” she explained.
Having swam her final year in the 15-17 age group at the CISC, Campbell is now focused on improving her craft with her sights set on establishing a mark in the 18 & over division.
“It is going to be different, but I think it is exciting for me to go into that age group and race some faster girls, and it could bring better races out of me. So I think it would be good to kind of expose me to some faster girls and I might not be medalling straight away, but it is something to aspire to,” the well-spoken swimmer noted.
“So, definitely in four years I will be looking to make an Olympic cut, but next is World Championships, so that will be my next focus. But I am looking forward to future competitions where I will be expecting to medal, and I think it is something that I have to work for, and it just makes me more determined to go out there and work harder,” she ended.