Maloney’s ups and downs to near Olympic glory
AN EXPLOSIVE INTERVIEW with Jamaica’s SportsMax, on February 15, 2024, drew the attention of persons far and wide to the Athletics career of Vincentian middle-distance runner, Shafiqua Maloney. In that interview Maloney detailed her economic plight as she pursued his dreams of remaining a professional athlete.
“Almost every week it’s tough for me… I’m unsponsored… I don’t have any support. I can’t work legally… I don’t have any income”, she told the hosts on the SportsMax programme where she spoke also of being homeless and having immigration issues.
This revelation came just days after she had attained the qualifi cation standard for the 800m at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the first Vincentian to gain the entry standard for the prestigious event.
Maloney’s revelations worked for her good, as there was an outpouring of support. Leading the way was the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), with private sector entities joining the cause to address the challenges and make it possible for Maloney to make the journey to Paris.
They, and all Vincentians were justly rewarded as Shafiqua finished in fourth place on Monday, August 5, in the 800m final at the Stade de France.
Maloney’s time of 1:57.66, saw her trailing Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson (1:56.72); Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia (1: 57.15); and Kenya’s Mary Moraa (1:57.42), as she ended just shy of the podium.
Speaking to SportsMax’s Alex Jordan following her historic accomplishment, Maloney admitted, “I wanted a medal, definitely wanted a medal, but I came fourth and it is a lot to be thankful for”.
Despite falling short Maloney said “[it] shows me that I belong here, even though I am from a small island, I can represent on the big stage”.
And, represent she did as she became the Caribbean’s only female finisher in that event since the Summer Olympics began in 1896.
Running in her second Olympics, having made her debut in 2021 at the 2020 Tokyo Games in Japan, Maloney timed 1:58.69, on Friday, August 2, to lower her personal best and the St Vincent and the Grenadines all time Women’s record, becoming the first Vincentian woman to advance to an Olympics semi- finals.
This was a far cry from her 2:07.89 clocking in Japan, when she finished seventh.
She continued to chip away at the timing, each occasion setting new national records. On Sunday, when she registered 1:57.59 to place second in her semi-final, she had shaved 1.10 seconds from her personal best, and the SVG record.
Her exploits in Paris was the zenith of exponential growth during the last seven months leading up to the Olympics as she continuously lowered the national indoor and outdoor 800 and 400m times.
Prior to her Paris outing, Maloney had erased the national outdoor 800m mark on three occasions, while also thrice setting new records in the 400m. She also has shattered the SVG 30 year old 1500m record, and set new ones in the 600m and indoor mile events.
At age 13, Maloney was part of the first female team from the Thomas Saunders Secondary School (TSSS) that participated in the 2012 Penn Relays. She announced her prowess regionally in 2013, when she won the 13-14 age category at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Juvenile Championships in Curacao. She blazed trails at the inter- Secondary Schools Championships, and had set TSSS Inter-House Athletics Championships alight with titles and records.
The budding athlete then took her talents to the Verchilds Secondary School in St Kitts, copping the 2016 Outstanding Athlete Award, at the Inter- Secondary Schools Championships there. In her final year, Maloney won five gold medals, inclusive of two records, and was the Victrix Ludorum. She also demonstrated scholastic aptitude and was her institution’s top female performer at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), obtaining passes in 11 subjects.
From St Kitts and Nevis, Maloney moved to the USA in 2017 to fulfil an Athletics scholarship at the Southern Illinois University, before switching to the University of Arkansas, where her
talents blossomed. Her National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) sojourn saw her claiming an Indoor 800m bronze, a 4 x 400m bronze, as well as a South East Conference 4 x 400 Indoor gold, and an outdoor 800m bronze. Additionally, Maloney had made the NCAA All American Indoor team twice. Maloney has a CAC bronze, a NACAC Under-23 gold and silver, and a Junior Carifta relay gold medal to her name, which is a national all time 4 x 400m record. Furthermore, selections to the Pan American Under-20,World Under-20 Championships and World Athletics Championships, are among Maloney other notches on her list.
And, she continued to excel academically, attaining a Bachelor’s degree in Geography, and Master’s in Operations Management while in the USA.
Now, with her successes in Paris, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Caribbean and the world, are waiting to see Maloney’s rise on the international Athletics stage. The home support for her in Monday’s 400m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics was overwhelming, clearly seem in the large crowds in the Kingstown location where watch parties were held and on social media following her fourth place finish. Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has hailed her as “extra-ordinary”, and newly minted Minister of Sports, Orande Brewster has declared that there will be a heroine’s welcome for Shafiqua when she touches down on home soil.
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