Overjoyed Grant looks forward to World Champs

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Sylvia Grant, one of three Jamaicans who have qualified for next year's International Paralympic Committee's World Athletics Championships in New Zealand, says she was overjoyed when she heard the news.

Grant, who has been one of Jamaica's standard bearers in the sport for over two decades, qualified after copping a gold medal in the class F55-F58 discus with a throw of 22.61m at last weekend's US Paralympic Track and Field National Championship in Miramar, Florida.

She qualified along with Tanto Campbell and Alphanso Cunningham, who also captured gold medals in the class F53 discus and javelin, and class F56 discus events, respectively.

It will be Grant's third world championship appearance, while for Campbell it will his first, and Cunningham his second.

"It feels very good, as prior to my participation I was wondering if I was going to qualify," said Grant, who will be competing in her third world championship.

"I will be going there to do my best, as compared to what we did in the US; it is going to be more difficult at the championship. So we will have to work hard," she added.

Winning throw

Campbell won with a throw of 36.28m, while Cunningham triumphed with throws of 26.45m and 20.19m, respectively.

Another Jamaican, Kevon Reid, also competed with Cunningham, and was awarded the gold medal for his class F55 throw of 22.03m, but failed to qualify for the World Championship.

Grant, who has a 2002 world championship silver medal, will be hoping to add to her list of accomplishments, which also includes medals from the Seoul, South Korea 1988, Barcelona, Spain 1992, Atlanta, USA 1996 Paralympic Games.

Meanwhile, Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange has heaped praise on the qualifiers, saying that she was confident that they would represent the country well at the championships.

"It is a great feeling to celebrate the successes of our paralympians, who are such great motivators," said Grange, in a release to the media.

"I am very proud of all of them, but I wish to say special congratulations to Sylvia Grant, Alphanso Cunningham and Tanto Campbell. I am confident that they will do very well.

The 2011 World Championships will be held in January.