WOOSLYN Harvey of the Turks and Caicos Islands was happy with winning a bronze medal in the boys’ Under-20 octathlon on Sunday at the Carifta Games at Jamaica’s National Stadium.

Harvey missed the silver medal by just six points after he scored 4,888 points, compared to Lynden Johnson of The Bahamas who scored 4,894 for second. Kevin Brooks of Jamaica won the gold medal with 4,942 points.

He has been competing at track and field events in Jamaica for the past three years, while attending Jamaica College, and says that being able to do that has prepared him immensely to compete for his country.

“I came here in 2019 and from the time I came here the competition has been advanced, so it prepared me for this moment and prepared me [for] going forward, and it has helped me as an individual to better myself.”

Having finished just outside the medal placings in fourth position in the decathlon at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships just a week ago in the stadium, it was both relief and joy to finish on the podium for his country, Harvey said.

“It’s a great feeling. I was here last week but we didn’t get the expected result, but I got it now so I am really happy for that.”

With fatigue possibly being a factor given the short time in-between Champs and the Carifta Games, for Harvey it was about being mentally ready to compete.

“For me it was more mental than just physical, so I just went out there saying ‘I have been here in the decathlon and it’s just two events less, so why not come out here and get a medal,’ ” he explained.

He is hoping that the win at the Carifta Games will translate to a spot on the Turks and Caicos World Under-20 team later this year.

“Yes, for sure I am hoping to make the Turks and Caicos team to go to Cali. It would help me as an individual to get better and to inspire others from my country, knowing that track and field is just starting to rise there.”

Harvey also believes that track and field in the Turks and Caicos would improve if more young athletes came to Jamaica to attend school and compete, the way he has done.

“It would help the country very much if more athletes came to Jamaica to be a part of the high school system,” he suggested.

There are quite a number of athletes competing at the Carifta Games who competed at the Jamaican high school athletics championships last weekend.

— Dwayne Richards