Support Britany Anderson – Lennox Graham

There’s a call for corporate Jamaica to support the island’s gifted young squadron of 100-metre hurdlers. The call has come from Lennox Graham, coach of 2015 and 2023 World sprint hurdles queen Danielle Williams. Graham says Jamaica is in good hands in the event but hopes that the young brigade will get the support they need.

Asked after the recent World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, for his outlook for Jamaica in the sprint hurdles through 2028, he was optimistic. “The last time you asked that I think it was 2013 in Moscow. Never forgot it because I said, we’re in good hands and I think going forward we’re even in better hands,” he underscored. In between Williams’ two senior world titles, Ackera Nugent and Kerrica Hill have won the World Under-20 gold medal with Hill leading a Jamaican one-two with Alexis James in 2022. Since then, Nugent has dominated the NCAA circuit with championships wins for both Baylor University and the University of Arkansas. The 21-year-old was fifth in Budapest.

Moreover, 2017 World Under-18 champion Britany Anderson was second at the 2018 Under-20 World Championships.

“I’d just love for Jamaica to get behind the athletes, especially when they don’t seem to be having great success. We have Danielle who won in 2015 and eight years later, within those doldrums, I don’t think Jamaica was behind her that much,” Graham said.

He hopes Anderson, the 2022 World Championships runner-up, won’t suffer the same fate.

“We have the young lady Britany Anderson who broke Danielle’s national record last year. She had a season-ending injury and I don’t feel like Jamaica is behind her enough. I really feel like, and I’m talking specifically to corporate Jamaica, that they may have dropped the ball with Danielle between 2015 and 2023, and I would ask them not to drop the ball with Britany Anderson or any other youngster, Ackera Nugent, any of the other youngsters that are showing up now,” he said.

Anderson cut the Jamaica record to 12.31 seconds in last year’s World Championship semifinals and then took the silver medal in the final. Unfortunately, injury has kept the 23-year-old star off track this season.

She was in the 2021 Olympic final where Megan Tapper won the bronze medal.

“I would encourage corporate Jamaica to not drop the ball with them. For example, I don’t know Britany personally, and this is not a Britany Anderson promo, but maybe if somebody from corporate Jamaica reached out to her and take her on as an ambassador or something while she’s down, wouldn’t that look so great if she comes back up and she’s the next World champion or Olympic champion or whoever?,” Graham said days after his return to Clemson University from Budapest.

He continued his appeal, saying, “Just to invest and it’s not just about the hurdles, just to invest. My country should invest in someone who seems like potential and not when they have won.”