IAAF
12 July 2001 - It is no surprise to see a Bahamian vest in a World Championships or Olympic women sprint final. And even in Debrecen, for the 2nd IAAF Westel World Youth Championships the light blue and yellow colours of the Bahamas will be present in the women’s 100m final.
Winner of her heat in 12.00 and fourth placed (11.91) in her semi final later on Thursday, 17-year-old Utica Edgecombe will line up for what will be her first international final tomorrow. Despite a terrible start in the semi finals, she managed to make up some ground and grab the last qualifying spot.
“I started track and field aged 5 and I’ve always run the sprint races. I don’t know whether I will run the 200m as well here in Hungary, I’m still thinking about it.”
But despite the girl’s excitement about tomorrow’s final the race is not going to be the highlight of her 2001 season. Utica will have the big responsibility of replacing Pauline Davis-Thompson in the Bahamas senior 4x100m relay team in Edmonton. With Davis-Thompson (Olympic individual silver medallist) and Eldece Clarke-Lewis retired after last season, the reigning world and Olympic 4x100m champions will line up in Edmonton with Edgecombe accompanying the likes of Debbie Ferguson, Chandra Sturrup and Sevatheda Fynes.
“This will be a great honour for me. I don’t know what leg I will run but whatever it will be I will do my best for my country and my team-mates.”
Despite her young age and inexperience on the international circuit, Utica ran both heats and semi finals in great style. Her sculptural body enabled her to develop long strides when cruising down in the heats and when under pressure in the semi finals.
“She is a very nice girl, said Debbie Ferguson last week speaking of Edgecombe. She is still very young but Edmonton will help building her experience.”
Utica will start building her international experience in Debrecen, though, where she will have to prove her talents against opponents like Americans Allyson Felix and Tissilli Rogers and Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart and Simone Facey.
“This is my first trip to Europe and I must say that so far I am enjoying my stay,” she says - and this might well be the first of a long series of trips Utica will make to Europe during her athletics career.
