DESPITE resetting Guyana’s National record in the javelin throw for an astounding fifth time so far in 2018, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) athlete Leslain Baird will not let himself be merely satisfied with the South American Championships silver medal and his 78.65m Personal Best (PB) record.

In an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport, Baird revealed that while he is still basking in the aftermath of his success, he is always looking to improve his PB.
Having won his first International medal just under a week ago at the South American Games in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Baird will now set his sights on the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games once he is selected.

“I’m always looking to improve on my PB, always, once selected for the CAC Games (in July), I will work even harder, having won a silver medal I want to go one better,” he confidently stated.

When quizzed about his record-breaking throw, Baird revealed that he still can’t believe that he won a silver medal with a distance that he initially thought was hard to reach.
He noted that while he was in pain after his fifth attempt, it was either, “I give it my all and improve on my throw or fail.”

Failure was not an option that Baird considered as he went for glory in his sixth throw which was the one that landed him his medal and Guyana a new National record.
According to Baird, his inspiration comes from fellow athlete Natrena Hooper after she won her first international medal last year at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. “I told myself I have to get one too, especially for my parents who keep telling me that everything will fall into place.”

Baird’s journey as an athlete has been far from a ‘cake walk’ as he revealed that “the inspiration also comes from my friends and family who keep supporting me through the ups and downs. Sometimes I don’t have money to go to training and they would go in their pockets, give me and tell me ‘you have to keep training; you cannot have any rest days’.”

EARLY 2018
In January, he competed twice at the National Track and Field Centre (NTFC). On the 14th he threw 70.74m. However, just seven days later on the 21st, Baird leapt up to 73.30m at the same venue.

On February 10, Baird eclipsed his PB and in so doing set a National record of 74.71m.
This was just a prelude of greater things to come in the following week when he travelled to Port of Spain, Trinidad to compete at that country’s pre-Commonwealth Games meet.
He promptly qualified for the said Commonwealth Games and went one better in terms of his PB and Guyana’s National record, as he threw 74.76m.