Anguilla has again been made proud by the recent achievements of Shara Proctor in Track and Field long jump, although she was obliged to representBritainand not Anguilla inBirmingham.
The 23-year-old Anguillian athlete, who turned professional in 2011, last weekend won the UK Indoor Nationals with a leap of 6.68 meters, a personal indoor record and a new stadium record. She missed the all-time national record by a mere 2cm.
After Shara, now ranked 5th in the world, broke the British indoor long jump record, she wrapped herself in a Union Flag and took a celebratory tour of the track, while enjoying the appreciation of the enthusiastic crowd.
Last month, she placed 2nd in the Aviva International Championships, which were held inScotland, with a jump of 6.59m.She finished 9th in the world at the end of 2011 and is now at number 10 [in those Championships]. She was previously quoted as saying: “If I win a medal inLondon, it will be forBritainbut, in my heart,Anguilla.”
Shara also stated: “I wouldn’t be able to compete in the Olympics forAnguilla. And you know that is every athlete’s dream to be in the Olympics. So I had to do what was best for me.” She was only cleared to compete forBritainin late 2010.
Shara has two ambitions for the year. One is to be on the Olympic podium. The other is to break the British Outdoor record of 6.90m, set by Bev Kinch. She believes she can leap further still.
At the commencement of his press conference on Tuesday, this week, Anguilla’s Governor, Alistair Harrison, commented: “I just want to congratulate, I am sure on everybody’s behalf, Shara Proctor who has broken the British Indoor long jump record …inBirminghamon Sunday, breaking the record that had stood since 1984. We also wish her well in breaking the outdoor record inBritainwhich stood at 6.9 metres in 1983…
“Above all, we wish her well at the Olympics in 2012. I am sure that many of us are sad that it has not been possible, because of the Olympic Committee’s decision, [for her] to representAnguilladirectly. Like all the Overseas Territories that do not have National Olympic Committees, she would be able to representGreat Britainand we wish her well. I know that everybody in Anguilla would be absolutely delighted if she does well inLondonin August.”
