As the summer season nears its climax in Anguilla with the start of the 2012 carnival festivities, it is gaining potential as one that the Anguillian community will remember for years to come. For the first time in Anguilla’s history our children will be looking at their former classmate, Shara Proctor, on the television competing in front of 80,000 spectators at the Olympic Games. Although to the rest of the world she will be seen as a Brit, we will look past her British uniform to see the Anguillian she truly is within.
Currently ranked 13th in the world, Shara faces a strong field of potential 7-metre jumpers. However, she has shown signs of being that special kind competitor who makes it count when it matters most. In a long jump final, all competitors are given three jumps and after the third jump, the best of eight competitors are awarded with three more. Shara found herself fighting to get in the top eight at the 2009 World Championships inBerlinafter her first two jumps lacked the necessary distance. Facing elimination, and having to jump far beyond her lifetime best to make the final round, Shara attacked the runway on her third jump, launching herself into 6th place. Earning three more jumps, she defended her position and left the competition 6th overall. More recently, at the British Olympic trials, Shara jumped to a lifetime best of 6.95 meters, again on her 3rd jump, to win the competition and secure her place for chasing a podium finish at the London Olympic Games.
Shara will now put the icing on the cake after a wonderful season of Track & Field whereAnguilla’s athletes dominated the headlines. Her first competition – the qualifying round – is on Tuesday, August 7th, and the final round on Wednesday, August 8th. Coincidently these two dates fall on the only two non-holidays of the August Summer Festival week, and Shara’s potential success could ignite an already charged atmosphere of celebrations and festivities.
Article by: Arthur Ward.
