Athletics in dire straits, says Olympian

Two-time Olympian Hamil Grimes says many of his attempts to transform track and field have fallen on deaf ears.

United States-based Grimes, who has been residing in Barbados for the past few years, told Weekend Sport that both Government and the Athletics Association of Barbados (AAB) had not done enough to spark a revival in the sport.

Grimes called for four synthetic tracks to be placed at strategic locations around the island and thinks the time has come to put a technical director in charge of the primary and secondary school programme with the help of some coaches. He also would like to see greater focus placed on nutrition.

The former ace quarter-miler, who has a best time of 45.74 seconds, is now assisting athletes at Daryll Jordan Secondary.

“I am at Daryll Jordan because I am trying to see how best I can support Barbados’ athletics. I thought I had an opportunity to work with the AAB in getting local athletics to the place it needs to be. We are playing the short game. We have don’t have a long-term vision.

“That is part of my disappointment because I tried working with the AAB management over the last two or three years to provide direction and support, but it hasn’t quite worked out.

“I am concerned for athletics in this country and right now I don’t see a trajectory for making it better. I want before I leave this Earth for Barbados to get an Olympic gold medal. It is about time,” said Grimes, a trained engineer and a graduate of Kentucky State University.

Grimes, 68, a member of Barbados Olympic teams in 1976 (Montreal) and 1984 (Los Angeles), has expressed major concern about this country’s performances at the CARIFTA Games. Barbados has scraped three golds in the last three years, none of them coming last year in Grenada.

“I started going to the Games from 2022 when the event was held in Jamaica, and I am concerned that we are stagnating. Other countries, Grenada, the US Virgin Islands, Antigua, St Lucia, Cayman Islands, are now on par or have surpassed us. How is it that these countries are able to elevate their performances over Barbados?

“We were more athletics conscious and thinking than St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua 30 or 40 years ago. We have not moved.”

Grimes, a former Foundation School track star, called for a culture change.

“We need to approach athletics in Barbados differently. We need a culture change because, in my profession, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get different results. I think that is what we have been doing,” he added.

Grimes said the time had long come for a technical director.

“A technical director is a must; one who would be able to move Barbados’ athletics from primary school to secondary school to university and post-university. We have to identify those athletes along the way, follow them up and follow up with their coaches.”

Grimes said it was shameful that Barbados was without a National Stadium.

“How did it get to the stage that we don’t have a National Stadium? That is a sad state of affairs. Getting a proper stadium must be a priority.’’

Grimes said he was aiming to transform the fortunes of Daryll Jordan Secondary.

“There is a gold mine down there. They have a 400-metre track [pasture] that can hold six lanes. I am working closely with principal Ken Layne and there are plans to upgrade the track,” he added.

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