Todd's 100m gold a sweet victory for coach McIntosh

LILLE, France:

While Jamaica celebrated the crowning of yet another 100 metres champion from its shores, as Odail Todd crossed the line in first place at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France, his coach Michael McIntosh had even greater reason to celebrate.

McIntosh, a member of the three-member coaching team in Lille, has been working with Todd for over four years at Green Island High school, where he has been teaching and coaching for the past 11 years.

For McIntosh, watching his protégé top the world last Thursday evening was the moment that justified their tremendous effort and belief over the years; years of challenges and a road that brought rejection, a bit of fate, disappointments and now sweet victory.

Todd's story started long before his amazing 10.51-second run last week, and it turns out that a fateful meeting years ago while Todd competed at his primary school sports day, turned out to be the day that would change his direction and set him on course for medal glory in France.

But first, how does coach McIntosh feel about watching his charge's rise to fame on one of the biggest stages in the world.

A feeling of satisfaction

"It's a feeling of satisfaction for the hard work that he has put in along with myself and we'll take it one step at a time, prepare him for the 200m and so forth because as it stands, we believe the sprint double is on the cards," said McIntosh. Not too much time to celebrate for the G.C. Foster College graduate, there is work yet to be done. The boys' 200m final is scheduled for this evening in Lille.

Todd and his self-proclaimed "mentor, coach and father" first crossed paths about five years ago, while he was taking part in a primary school sports day. McIntosh spotted the talent of Todd and went over to tell him that he thought he had tremendous potential.

"The person that was with him at the time said to me that he will not go to any school in Hanover, but one in Kingston," so I smiled and I left.

However, as fate would have it, Todd ended up at Green Island High, with his development falling into the hands of the meticulous McIntosh.

Capable hands they were, as he had overseen the progress of the likes of Roxroy Cato, former Carifta champion Damion Young as well as Pan American representative Denard Coote, now at the MVP Track & Field Club.

It's Todd, however, who is his true pride and joy.

"Todd is a champion and he has it in him to fight to the end, I always expect him to give his best because he always does," said McIntosh of the Carifta 200m silver medallist.

"Last year, I think was his turning point. I remember telling him at Western Champs, after seeing him against Delano Williams and the others, that he is as good as anybody else but that he needed to apply the three 'Ds' - discipline, determination and dedication, and from there on, he has never looked back, he is a wonderful student athlete and has shown tremendous development," McIntosh continued.

"This is a big accomplishment for the school, hats off to the principal and entire administrations also, they have been very supportive of the programme," McIntosh noted.

-A.L.