Gray hoping to be a champion at St Jago

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Ranique Gray is one of many athletes who have excelled at the annual Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA)/Sagicor National Primary, All-Age and Junior High Schools Athletic Championships who are now looking to make a name for themselves on the high-school stage and beyond.

The former John Mills student, who was crowned the meet's champion girl on the two previous stagings, has now moved on to St Jago High and is no longer eligible to participate.

Gray left her mark at the meet with a record leap of 5.38 metres in the girls' long jump open, eclipsing the old mark of 5.25m set back in 1990 by Angella Seal of St Elizabeth. She also claimed gold in the Under-17 girls 200m and silver in the 400m.

"I enjoyed running for my parish, giving them points and having teammates cheering for me while I was on the track," Gray expressed.

PE discovery

The third-form student got started in track and field while attending St Patrick's Primary where she was discovered by her physical education teacher, Letha Walters, who then referred her to Ransford Spaulding, the coach of John Mills.

The 15-year-old third-form student has already had a taste of Girls' Championships but was hampered by a groin injury.

"I was supposed to run the 400m, but because of my groin injury I didn't get to run it," Gray said. "I only did the Class Two long jump and I placed ninth.

"I was very disappointed, because I would have done better if it weren't for the groin injury," she added.

She, however, hopes to be in good health come next season, as she dreams of leading St Jago to victory, as she did at John Mills. Gray did concede that making the transition from John Mills to St Jago has been testing.

"It has been very challenging, because I am leaving from a coach who has coached me for three years, and now I am in a new system," Gray said, while stating that she has been doing well academically.

"My academics have always been good, I just balance it and track and field in one," Gray said. "I do schoolwork and then I go to training and when I come home I do my homework and sleep," she added.