THIS week we look at another prospect set to compete at the upcoming National Schools Championships, with high expectations riding on her performance.
Seventeen-year-old Joanna Archer will be returning in the Girls’ Under-18 category, also again representing West Demerara (District 3).

She will once again be in the 800m and 1500m. Additionally she will also be in the 400m, as well as the discus event, as she hopes to take the champion girl title of the age category.

And with last year’s Girls’ Under-18 middle-distance champion Claudrice McKoy, off in the US at college, this year will definitely be an opportunity for Archer to take the top spot. And while she’s hoping for the best, she keeps in mind that on the day of a race just about anything can happen.

“I’m very anxious and confident but I’m not underestimating anyone,” she said.
While Archer finished second place in the 1500m last year, behind McKoy, she has already shown a lot of growth since then, and has definitely proved she has what it takes to get the job done. And we might just see it done in record time.
Archer’s 1500m time of 5:04.5s in August, well surpassed the 5:06.8s current record that McKoy set last year. Archer’s personal best in the event is 4:57.23s, which she set back in July, at the National Seniors Championships.

Archer is also looking forward to make amends in the Girls’ 800m, where last year she found herself disqualified, after finishing in second place in her heats. So far for the year, she has clocked a personal best of 2:14.55s in this event.
The 400m is more of a new one for Archer, and it will be here that she will face her stiffest competition of the Championships. Many believe the race already belongs to North Georgetown (District 11) Kenisha Phillips.

There will also be South Georgetown’s (District 13) seasoned 400m athlete Tiffauna Garnett, as well as Linden’s Chantoba Bright and quarter-mile regular Tandika Haynes.
Nonetheless, Archer looks forward to her new challenge and is still holding out on medal hopes.

Though not exactly a pet event, Archer has found talent in the discus before ruling the event back in 2015, while in the Girls’ Under-16 category.
Since her last year participation, Archer has done a lot to build on her experience and skills. She has won several titles locally, and has done well regionally, taking silver in the 800m at the South American Juniors Championships, and gold in the 800m and 1500m at the Inter-Guiana Games in October.

Additionally, to back her expectations, Archer has been hard at work training in preparations for the Championships, which is just one week away, running from November 27 to December 2.