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Swept coach says athletes ready for Trials
Dania Bogle
Monday, June 25, 2012
HEAD coach Okele Stewart says members of his Swept Track Club, which includes the likes of World Championships 4x100m relay gold medallist Dexter Lee and former 400m national champion Oral Thompson, have been working hard in training and are well prepared for this weekend's JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships.
"Training is going pretty well... they are in good shape and good health and I'm expecting them to do well at the National Trials," Stewart told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview.
The Swept team of Ainsley Waugh, brothers Dexter and Keniel Lee, and Sheldon Mitchell, clocked a world-leading 38.84 seconds to win the men's sprint relay at the 34th staging of the Milo Western Relays in February, beating the MVP track team of Olympic gold medallists Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater into second.
"The guys have improved a lot since that," Stewart said. "At that time most of the guys were running 10.3. They have run faster (since then)."
Of his current charges Stewart said he expected Lee and Thompson to give a good account of themselves. "Their training has been going quite well... I do expect some stellar performances if they execute what they have been doing in training."
The reigning World Junior 100m champion, Lee has some hopes riding on him this season, but Stewart cautioned against getting them too high.
"There are a lot of persons expecting a lot more from him so far, but with a new programme, I think going into the National Trials he will be able to give of himself what people will be expecting from Dexter Lee. I wouldn't go out on a limb and say he would stage any major upset," he said.
Lee changed coaches just under a year ago and Stewart told the Observer that he has been adjusting well following the move from his former home in the United States.
"Dexter is an easy-going athlete. He prefers to stay home, so he is getting the job done with whatever resources he has wherever he is and he is at home, so he is comfortable with that."
Thompson won the national 400m title in 2010, and while he was unable to repeat that performance last season after suffering an injury at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet, he has no such issues this year.
"He has been doing well this season. Last year, leading up to national championships, he got an injury so his preparation was hampered by that. This year, I expect that he should be among the top finishers and book himself on the plane to London," Stewart said.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1yoa0JkDE
Dania Bogle
Monday, June 25, 2012
HEAD coach Okele Stewart says members of his Swept Track Club, which includes the likes of World Championships 4x100m relay gold medallist Dexter Lee and former 400m national champion Oral Thompson, have been working hard in training and are well prepared for this weekend's JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships.
"Training is going pretty well... they are in good shape and good health and I'm expecting them to do well at the National Trials," Stewart told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview.
The Swept team of Ainsley Waugh, brothers Dexter and Keniel Lee, and Sheldon Mitchell, clocked a world-leading 38.84 seconds to win the men's sprint relay at the 34th staging of the Milo Western Relays in February, beating the MVP track team of Olympic gold medallists Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater into second.
"The guys have improved a lot since that," Stewart said. "At that time most of the guys were running 10.3. They have run faster (since then)."
Of his current charges Stewart said he expected Lee and Thompson to give a good account of themselves. "Their training has been going quite well... I do expect some stellar performances if they execute what they have been doing in training."
The reigning World Junior 100m champion, Lee has some hopes riding on him this season, but Stewart cautioned against getting them too high.
"There are a lot of persons expecting a lot more from him so far, but with a new programme, I think going into the National Trials he will be able to give of himself what people will be expecting from Dexter Lee. I wouldn't go out on a limb and say he would stage any major upset," he said.
Lee changed coaches just under a year ago and Stewart told the Observer that he has been adjusting well following the move from his former home in the United States.
"Dexter is an easy-going athlete. He prefers to stay home, so he is getting the job done with whatever resources he has wherever he is and he is at home, so he is comfortable with that."
Thompson won the national 400m title in 2010, and while he was unable to repeat that performance last season after suffering an injury at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet, he has no such issues this year.
"He has been doing well this season. Last year, leading up to national championships, he got an injury so his preparation was hampered by that. This year, I expect that he should be among the top finishers and book himself on the plane to London," Stewart said.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1yoa0JkDE
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