Coast guard wins silver medal in TT Championships

LR Leslain Baird

Georgetown : National Javelin Champion, Leading Rating(LR) Leslain Baird has once more done himself and the Guyana Defence Force proud following an outstanding performance at the Trinidad and Tobago National Open Championships at the weekend.

 Baird came second, winning the Silver Medal in the javelin competition with a throw of 65.32 metres. His greatest competitor was Trinidadian Shakiel Waithe whose throw was 65.63 metres.

 Baird’s recent achievement has set a new national record surpassing the 60.78 he set in 2011.

Speaking to his experiences on the competition, LR Baird said he coped well but always saw Waithe as his greatest competitor. “I observed his training techniques, some of which are very different from the ones we have here in Guyana. So there are a few things I have grasped and I will see how best I can work some of them into my own techniques , since my aim is to improve my performance every time,” he said. He also said he felt this competition has made him feel more confident overall that he is at a place where he can compete at higher levels, even alongside some of the bigger names in Javelin.

“ My aim is to compete in the 2016 Olympics . I want to be the first person to represent the GDF and Guyana in this sport at the Olympics,” he added.

 

He was supported by GDF Athletics Coach Robert Chisolm, who is adamant that with more exposure LR Baird will do well.

 

LR Baird has been the National Javelin champion since 2008.  He is qualified by virtue of the distance thrown to participate in the Central American and Caribbean games set for later this year.