Calabar’s Kimar Farquharson on cloud nine after shattering 800m record
Kimar Farquharson never had the competition to push him.
He was sauntering along to an easy victory in the heat of the boys’ Class Two 800 metres.
The small athlete was travelling at a decent clip all by himself as he neared the top of the homestretch. Then came the urging he needed, word from the track announcer that he was on course for something special.
Farquharson then let loose, pouring out all his energy on his way to clocking a record 1:52.92 seconds, decimating the Grand Prix Championship mark of 1:57.49 that previously existed.
“I feel happy to break the record,” admitted the Calabar High School lad after his landmark feat at the third meet in the 2017 Digicel Grand Prix Athletics Championships, the Anthrick Corporate Area Development Meet, at Usain Bolt/UWI Track on Thursday, March 2.
“I never had anyone to push me, but when I reached in the last 100 meters I heard the announcer saying I could break it so I put out more effort,” Farquharson revealed.
This is his second year running for Calabar High.
“I feel happy to be at a champion school,” he said of the institution that has won Champs for the past five years consecutively. “I can also be a champion.”
He previously attended Santa Cruz Primary and Junior High in St Elizabeth and was spotted while competing at the Sagicor meet.
“I got tripped in the final last year at Champs and placed fourth,” he recounted.
Now in third form and boosted by his Digicel Grand Prix record run, the 15-year-old is expecting a lot more.
“I feel like I can run about 1:51 or less at the Grand Prix final,” said Farquharson.
The 2017 Digicel Grand Prix final, the GC Foster Classic, is the fifth meet in the series and takes place at the National Stadium.
Digicel has sponsored the 2017 series with $15 million and the top boys’ and girls’ schools will earn $1-million, worth of gym or sporting equipment, with $500,000 for second and $200,000 for third.
For the regional meets in the 2017 Digicel Grand Prix, like Thursday’s Anthrick Corporate Area Development Meet, the champion schools earn $250,000, with $100,000 going to the runners-up and $50,000 for third.
Additionally, record breakers in the Grand Prix Championship events, like Farquharson, get $25,000 towards their academic pursuits.
“It can help with my school fee or to buy books,” he said
After his scorching run at Anthrick, no one will disagree that the third former — who boards in Kingston and returns to his family during the holidays — is clearly going places at Calabar.
“It has enabled me to get stronger and faster,” he said, before highlighting a long-term goal.
“I’d like to be one of the top runners and run for Jamaica in the 800m,” he said.
The two-lap event is not a traditional strong point for Jamaicans. But with the right competition and urging Farquharson could well scale new levels.
