By BVIAA
Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, right, Guam’s Regine Tugade, Ukraine’s Olesya Povkh and Trinidad and Tobago’s Semoy Hackett competing in the Women’s 100m Heat 5 in Beijing, China. Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway
BEIJING, China – Putting a series of early season issues behind that affected her performances, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of the British Virgin Islands came into the 15th IAAF World Track and Field Championships here in Beijing, China, riding a wave of unmatched performances in her career, an indication that she was ready.
During the recent Pan Am Games and the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships in Canada and Costa Rica, all her 100m preliminary round races had been run well under 11.22 seconds. And, all her performances were 11.28 or better.
Returning to the iconic Beijing Bird’s Nest National Stadium where she competed during the 2008 Olympic Games and had subsequent runs since, the BVI’s 100 and 200m standard bearer was eyeing a spot in tonight’s 100m semifinals.
However, she wasn’t on her game and placed an unlooked for non-advancing fifth in her heat in 11.47 seconds.
“I lost it from my first step out the blocks because my body collapsed,” Harrigan-Scott disappointedly reflected afterwards. “I felt like I was fighting my entire drive phase trying to get my body in the right position and stay in the race and it just went downhill from there.”
Harrigan-Scott said her performance indicators coming in were good and showing promises of things to come. “I was in no way shape or form expecting the results I produced today,” she stated after qualifying for her sixth straight championships but turned in her worst result of them all. “Practices and race preparations felt good but it just didn’t come together today. I’m nowhere 11.47 shape. Negative wind or not, practices were going well and indicated that I should have ran a personal best.”
Her focus now turns to Rio 2016 for the Olympic Games as she has already put down a qualifying mark. She said she doesn’t have to alter any of her training plans leading up to her third successive Olympic Games. “I will do the same things I have been doing to get me here,” she pointed out. “Wouldn’t change anything. I dropped the ball at this meet.”
Next up is the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Eddie Lovett who will see action in the 110m Hurdles prelims during Wednesday morning’s session. Teammate Laverne Jones’ Ferrette will compete in the 200m prelims later in the evening.
Chantel Malone will take to the Long Jump pit on Thursday morning.
