Delancey choosing to focus on Champs

With three wins from three starts, Delrae Delancey of Munro College is the early-season ruler of the Class One shot put. However, despite having the best two winning throws of the 2018 campaign, Delancey is staying focused on winning at the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys' Champion-ships (Champs), which is set to take place in March. He believes he has to remain cautious.

The Munro head boy has won the Class One shot put at the Charlie Fuller Memorial, the McKenley/Wint Classic, and last Saturday's STETHS Invitational. The big right-hander boomed a season-leading winner of 17.77m at the Fuller Memorial, only to exceed that personal best at the Classic with 18.28m. At STETHS, he won easily with a mark that is now modest for him, 16.95m.

His best throw before Champs last year was 16.64m.

"It's a bright start," he evaluated after winning at STETHS, "but I have to remain cautious, remain controlled, and just get the job done."

Bronze-medal winner in Class Two four years ago, Delancey said, "Only thing that matters is how it ends at Champs."

He has his cautious eye on throwing further.

"The goal is to just get a personal best at Champs, go over 19m," he said. "That's the goal."

Beyond that, he hopes to don black, green and gold in The Bahamas at the Carifta Games and at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships.

He said, "I would like to make a national team this year - Carifta, as well as go to the World Juniors."

STRONG TRADITION

Omar Bryan, the Munro throws coach, praised Delancey for the work he has done. Fully aware of the school's traditional presence in the field events, Bryan commented, "We've done it over the years, and you know, it's something we"ll continue to do once we have the talent and the work ethic like Delancey. I think we'll continue to produce good throwers at the highest level in the Caribbean, and potentially the world."

Bryan is part of that tradition, having won the Championships Class Two shot put-discus double for Munro College in 2006. Understandably, Delancey is benefiting from his coach's knowledge.

"You get a firsthand experience on how to win Champs [from] a Champs winner," he said in praise of his coach. "He has done it, so he knows how to do it," he surmised, "and he has imparted that knowledge to me."

Nevertheless, his cautious approach is well founded as six boys returned from the 2017 final, in which he was fifth, with four putters other than himself beyond 17m. The leader of this chasing pack is

Cobe Graham, a Meadowbrook High School transfer to Calabar High, who set a personal best of 17.32m at the Fuller Memorial.

Delancey respects all his rivals and said, "Competition is always there, so [you] just have to keep your eyes peeled."