A number of young Anguillian athletes of school age, are expected to make their island proud when they participate, over the coming months, in a number of award-winning competitions on the regional and international scene. Not only are they being vigorously trained by a number of local persons, with excellent backgrounds in sports, but two highly experienced and recognised Cuban coaches and former athletes have been brought to Anguilla until February 12 to assist with the training of the youngsters at the Ronald Webster Park.

L-R: Wilma Proctor, Rollins Richardson, Maritza Marten and Hector Martinez

The visiting trainers are Olympic champion, Maritza Marten, and Hector Martinez, a noted and longstanding lecturer for athletes and coaches. They arrived on the island on Sunday, January 15, and began their work the next day. Their services were procured by the Anguilla Amateur Athletic Association.

Wilma Proctor, one of the local coaches, told The Anguillian that the athletes were practicing for different competitions as follows: the Carifta Games to be held in Guadeloupe during the Easter Weekend; the Commonwealth Games in Australia in March; the Central American/Caribbean Championships to take place in Trinidad in June; and the World Junior Championships to be held in China in August.

Comprehensive School Athletes to represent Anguilla abroad

Physical Educator, Rollins Richardson, said the training of the young Anguillian athletes was going very far for the development of athletics in Anguilla. He said the Cuban coaches had done a great deal for athletes in Antigua who have excelled in the Carifta Games and other competitions. He was certain that they would achieve similar championship levels as a result of their coaching of the athletes in Anguilla.

Martinez, one of the Cuban coaches, who visited the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School where he first saw the students who are being trained, said they were well suited for the athletic field and to make a name for their island. “They have talent, they are young and tall, they have potential and power; and the only thing they need is to be on the track in the afternoons for us to help them to get to the competitions abroad,” he told the newspaper.

Martinez will be lecturing students in the Physical Education classes and, on the field, will coach the athletes in jumping and other events. He has a background of some twenty years as a physical educator and athletic coach in Cuba.

Young Anguillian athletes practising at the Ronald Webter Park

His colleague, Maritza, was an Olympic champion in Barcelona in 1992; and a champion in the World Cup held in Havana, Cuba, the same year. She represented her country in many other competitions with highest performances. She will be working with the Anguillian athletes in such areas as throwing the javelin.

Meanwhile, much upgrading work has been carried out on the area of the Webster Park where the jumping practices are being held. Wilma Proctor said the Anguilla Amateur Athletic Association had received and installed ‘a new runway’.

Young Anguillian athletes practising at the Ronald Webter Park

She stated that the Association was grateful to a number of businessmen for contributing to the project. They include Albert Lake who provided gravel material for the base work; Walton Fleming who contributed the asphalt; C. O. Williams who did the work and a private person (whom she did not name) for donating a new jump board.

The new ‘runway’ is of much value in the training of the athletes in the various jumping skills in preparation for the competitions.

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