After dismantling the field to win the boys' Class One discus throw at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships on Thursday, Jamaica College's (JC) Racquil Broderick is now hoping that his performance will strengthen his chances of securing a scholarship to an overseas university.
The 19-year-old Broderick defeated a very quality field — including defending champion Kobe Lawrence — to win the event with a throw of 62.94 metres.
Lawrence was second with a mark of 60.41m, while Ricardo Hay of Clarendon College ended third in 60.15.
The victory could not have come at a better time for the talented Broderick who ended his Champs career with his first and only gold medal.
Broderick shared that while he excels on the throwing frontier he is more than meets the eye, boasting of his academic success in having attained nine CAPE and nine CXC subjects.
He said that winning the event has given him a lot of confidence and he is now hoping that this will help him to secure a scholarship to a college overseas.
"I am hoping some coaches here will see me and see my potential and just want me at their college," said Broderick.
"I am very willing and very hard-working," he added.
Reflecting on his gold medal-winning performance, Broderick said that he is surprised he came out on top in the event.
"I know that I could do it but I am surprised that I won it because everybody knows that Kobe Lawrence was the big favourite to win the gold medal.
"However, I am very passionate about the discus and so I just went out there and spoke to God... I believe in myself that I could do it, and so I am just thrilled that I came out on top in the event," Broderick stated.
"This will boost my confidence a lot and calm me down in competition to know what I can do and I will do it, because this is my first final at Champs and to secure the gold medal, it is a dream come through for me," he went on.
Broderick's efforts also landed JC nine points in their quest to wrestle the championships title away from rivals Kingston College.
"I am very happy that I came up big for my school because this is a championship and we want to win the title so every point counts — and I am glad that I was able to contribute nine points to the team," he stated.
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