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Rejuvenated Bliss eyes 2011 swansong
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer
Friday, March 18, 2011
CLERMONT, Florida — Two years ago, sprint hurdler Andrea Bliss was ready to walk away from track and field and find a job.
She had moved to San Diego, California to train with Larry Wade, but had not done as well as she had hoped and funds were running low.
BLISS... It looks like things will fall into place this year
BLISS... It looks like things will fall into place this year
#slideshowtoggler, #slideshowtoggler a, #slideshowtoggler img {filter:none !important;zoom:normal !important}
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The former St Jago High and University of Florida athlete reached out to former high school teammate Kenia Sinclair, who encouraged her not to give up just yet, but to stick it out even for a few more years.
The now 30-year-old decided to follow her good friend's advice and today, says she is glad she did.
And after switching from the West Coast to relocate in Clermont, Florida and changing coaches to former American sprinter Dennis Mitchell, Bliss says she is ready to claim her place in Jamaica's track and field.
In an interview with the Observer at the Clermont facility where the Mitchell group trains, Bliss said she is enjoying the sport once again and described working with Mitchell as "awesome".
The two-time All-American college star and part-time model is full of optimism for the 2011 season, saying, "This year it looks like things will fall into place; training and competition are going well," she said, adding that her progress is a continuation from last season when she joined Mitchell's group.
"Last year was a learning process, plus I was injured, so that was frustrating."
The 2008 Olympian explained that "Last season I changed coaches, so it was sort of a comeback and was just getting used to (Dennis) and a new programme, so this year should be better."
Making it to the final of the 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi was both the highlight and low light of Bliss' season.
After placing second in the Jamaica Trials in 13.17 seconds and winning bronze at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in the Dominican Republic in 13.20, Bliss felt she was ready for a medal in India.
She was well placed for a medal but hit the final hurdles and finished fourth in 13.28 seconds, just .03 behind New Zealand's Andrea Miller, who won the bronze.
That close shave served to stoke the fire and get her competitive juices flowing, and despite giving herself another two years in competitive track and field, Bliss says she has high hopes for this season.
Making the Jamaican team to the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea later this year is the priority, but she knows it won't be easy.
"Making the Jamaican team will be hard," she said, but pointed out that "with four places up for grabs, given that Brigette (Foster Hylton) is the defending champion, the goal will be to make the team".
Bliss, whose personal best is 12.83 seconds at the Jamaican National Trials in 2005, says the 'A' standard of 12.96 seconds for Daegu should not be a problem as she is targeting "12.60 or better, but will be happy to run a personal best, but the goal is to go under 12.60 seconds".
So far this season, she has run twice indoors, once in Gainesville, Florida, and another in Canada, but explained that she "trained through both events, and this was just to see where my training was".
She says she is eager to start the outdoor season and hopes to compete "around the second week of April, but will be running some relays prior to that at local meets in Florida."
Bliss, who has won medals in the long jump at the Junior CAC Games, says she would love to be able to run in Jamaica at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet (JIII) in early May, but says she is still awaiting an invitation.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1GxuBTm19
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer
Friday, March 18, 2011
CLERMONT, Florida — Two years ago, sprint hurdler Andrea Bliss was ready to walk away from track and field and find a job.
She had moved to San Diego, California to train with Larry Wade, but had not done as well as she had hoped and funds were running low.
BLISS... It looks like things will fall into place this year
BLISS... It looks like things will fall into place this year#slideshowtoggler, #slideshowtoggler a, #slideshowtoggler img {filter:none !important;zoom:normal !important}
1/1 The former St Jago High and University of Florida athlete reached out to former high school teammate Kenia Sinclair, who encouraged her not to give up just yet, but to stick it out even for a few more years.
The now 30-year-old decided to follow her good friend's advice and today, says she is glad she did.
And after switching from the West Coast to relocate in Clermont, Florida and changing coaches to former American sprinter Dennis Mitchell, Bliss says she is ready to claim her place in Jamaica's track and field.
In an interview with the Observer at the Clermont facility where the Mitchell group trains, Bliss said she is enjoying the sport once again and described working with Mitchell as "awesome".
The two-time All-American college star and part-time model is full of optimism for the 2011 season, saying, "This year it looks like things will fall into place; training and competition are going well," she said, adding that her progress is a continuation from last season when she joined Mitchell's group.
"Last year was a learning process, plus I was injured, so that was frustrating."
The 2008 Olympian explained that "Last season I changed coaches, so it was sort of a comeback and was just getting used to (Dennis) and a new programme, so this year should be better."
Making it to the final of the 100m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi was both the highlight and low light of Bliss' season.
After placing second in the Jamaica Trials in 13.17 seconds and winning bronze at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in the Dominican Republic in 13.20, Bliss felt she was ready for a medal in India.
She was well placed for a medal but hit the final hurdles and finished fourth in 13.28 seconds, just .03 behind New Zealand's Andrea Miller, who won the bronze.
That close shave served to stoke the fire and get her competitive juices flowing, and despite giving herself another two years in competitive track and field, Bliss says she has high hopes for this season.
Making the Jamaican team to the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea later this year is the priority, but she knows it won't be easy.
"Making the Jamaican team will be hard," she said, but pointed out that "with four places up for grabs, given that Brigette (Foster Hylton) is the defending champion, the goal will be to make the team".
Bliss, whose personal best is 12.83 seconds at the Jamaican National Trials in 2005, says the 'A' standard of 12.96 seconds for Daegu should not be a problem as she is targeting "12.60 or better, but will be happy to run a personal best, but the goal is to go under 12.60 seconds".
So far this season, she has run twice indoors, once in Gainesville, Florida, and another in Canada, but explained that she "trained through both events, and this was just to see where my training was".
She says she is eager to start the outdoor season and hopes to compete "around the second week of April, but will be running some relays prior to that at local meets in Florida."
Bliss, who has won medals in the long jump at the Junior CAC Games, says she would love to be able to run in Jamaica at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet (JIII) in early May, but says she is still awaiting an invitation.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1GxuBTm19