By Carlena Knight
National long jumper, Dahlia Barnes remains optimistic about her newest challenge in the track and field arena when she attends the Florida Atlantic University and competes in an open group.
Barnes,16, while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports show yesterday, was not phased by the new prospect of competing in an open category.
“I am actually eager to compete because I would like to see what I can do with people that are way older than me, because in college, they still have people who are 20-something years old so I would like to see what I as a 16-year-old can do with that competition.”
The 2017 CARIFTA Games participant and 2018 Youth Olympian, despite favoring the long jump, further explained that she will dabble with other events.
“Not really, for the indoor season up there, the coach recommended that he wouldn’t mind if I was running at the time, but for the outdoor season I would focus mostly on the long jump and even throw in a bit of triple-jump right there.”
The former Island Academy student will major in Health Sciences in keeping with her desire to pursue a career as a pediatrician. Barnes however also shared her ultimate goal of becoming an Olympian, and more so, a professional athlete.
“I would like to become a professional athlete. Making my parents proud is one of my big factors, so when I get there, I would like to be on that big stage thanking everybody for their support and I want to become one of those persons people look up to.”
Barnes joins triple-jumper, Taeco Ogarro, fellow long-jumper, Sheldon Noble, and sprinters, Joella Lloyd and Bliss Soleyn who are all studying in various colleges and universities in the United States.