Brooklyn-based Guyanese track star Kadecia Baird has been selected to represent Guyana at the 2011 International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Youth Championships, which will be held in Lille, France from July 6-10.
The decision came at the Athletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG) statutory council meeting, held last Wednesday night, June 08th, at Olympic House. The 16- year-old high school track star migrated three years ago and is now one of the fastest female sprinters in her age group in New York.
Baird attends Medger Evers College Preparatory High School, whose 4x400m and 4x100m relay teams dominated the Taco Bell Track and Field Classic in April, where Baird won the girls 200m in 24.75 seconds. At that meet, the 4x100m relay team of which Baird is a part established the fastest time in the state and the 12th fastest in the U. S. A. high school circuit.
Baird will be the only athlete attending that meet, since the IAAF had allotted Guyana only one spot for one athlete to attend the meet. A country’s allotment is determined by its performance at the previous event, which is held every two years.
Prior to migrating, Baird attended Gamaliel Academy and trained at Royal Youth Movement Track and Field Club. At her last National Junior Championships in Guyana, she placed second in the Girls’ 400m behind Letitia Myles, and clocked 1: 03 seconds.
Baird now has impressive personal records of 11.9s in the 100m; 24.4 in the 200m; and 56 seconds in the 400m. Former coach Anson Ambrose told Guyana Times International Sport that he was elated to be informed that his former athlete will be representing Guyana on the world stage.
“It’s a dream come true to know that a very disciplined athlete got the chance to take athletics seriously, and its finally paying off. It just goes to show that with discipline and hard work you can achieve what you want.”
Nevertheless, Ambrose said that migration was the other necessary ingredient for Baird’s success, because of the lack of facilities which creates unique disadvantages for athletes here in Guyana.
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