Mickaell Moodie of G C Foster College won the Women’s sprint double at the Inter-Collegiate Athletics Championships held on her home ground last Saturday.

The diminutive sprinter clocked a wind-aided 11.34s (+3.4) to win the 100m and 24.30s (-0.2m/s) to win the 200m, getting the better of her teammate and former 100m champion in Class 1 at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, Michae Harriot, on both occasions.

It was the first time that Moodie was achieving a result of this significance in her career.

“I am feeling great because I have never earned a title like this before,” she said.

The 20-year-old, however, was not surprised by her achievements based on the work she put in ahead of the championship.

“I have been training hard and I feel a lot better than before; I have never felt this good ahead of a championship.”

A former student at the University of Technology (UTech) and member of the MVP Track Cub, Moodie said, “The transition has been good for me. I am doing better now both as an athlete and as a student, so it is really good for me. I have definitely found a home here at G C Foster College.”

However, winning the sprint double at Intercol is just the beginning of things for her this season as Moodie eyes much bigger things in the coming months.

“I expect to run a lot faster this season and I know I won’t surprise myself, because I know I can,” she said with a smile.

There are two major international games this year, the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships, and Moodie has made making at least one of those teams, priority one this year despite the level of competition among female sprinters in the island.

“I think I can get my time down to be really competitive and give myself a chance to make the national team. I am feeling that way, I am feeling really sure,” she said.

Moodie, who ran for Grange Hill High at Champs, also revealed that double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah is both a role model and inspiration after sharing a similar path to her.

“I heard how she became who she is now and so far, my journey is very similar to hers,” she said.

Elaine Thompson-Herah is the current holder of the Intercollegiate 100m record of 11.10s.

— Dwayne Richards