Compton looking to Inter-schools’ meet

Sprinter Mc Kish Compton of the St Vincent Grammar School wants to create a long-lasting impression at this year’s inter-secondary schools track and field meet, set for next month at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.{{more}}

Compton, 16, was the headliner of his school’s annual sports meet last Wednesday, when he set new marks in the Intermediate 400 m run and the high jump.

The form five business student erased the previous 400 m record of 53.02 seconds, which had stood for 17 years, lowering it by almost one second, to 52.03.

Compton, of Reeves House, also made the high jump record of 1.76 metres, established in 1994, go by the wayside, when he registered a new height of 1.80 metres.

Also in the 100 m heats, Compton, who hails from Bequia, smashed the 100 m record of 14 years, when he clocked 10.84 seconds. The previous mark was 10.88 seconds.

Compton’s other first places in his school’s meet were gained in the 200 m and the long jump.

His performance, both on the track and on the field, earned him the Intermediate champion with 59 points.

For Compton, it is the momentum he needed to carry him to the much anticipated inter-schools’ meet and help his school retain the boys’ title.

Compton told SEARCHLIGHT that he is anxiously looking forward to the meet, having placed third in both the 200 metres and triple jump at last year’s event.

Prepared to take things in steps, Compton said, “I want to do well at inter-school and go on to make the St Vincent (and the Grenadines) team for the Carifta Games this year”.

Not new to accolades, Compton said that he began being in the limelight when he was a student at the Paget Farm Government School, when at the Grade 4 level, he took up athletics seriously.

He, however, expressed surprise at the great deal of attention he got at his school’s meet.

“I was surprised at the expectation of a lot of people; it put a lot of pressure on me to perform, but I said I could not disappoint them”, Compton noted.

But Compton is not getting ahead of himself, as he acknowledges that he is a far way off from stardom.

He, however, is grateful to his immediate family, close friends and coach Rawlson Morgan, for the help and support they have given him thus far.(RT)