NEW YORK: Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade not only has turned into a world class sprinter, he also has come to like the 400m, an event that fans always have believed he should do because he’s strong and can run a tactical race. He, on the other had, used to run it solely for fun until something changed.
“Doing so many 4x4s, I’ve grown to LOVE it [individual 400m] actually,” he stressed, pointing out that this year hasn’t been going so well for him and that distance. Next year though, he plans to do more – the 400m, 200m and 100m – and choose what suits him best. The choice could very well be a 200m-400m double.
For this year though, the shorter sprints are his focus, though he doesn’t think he will complete the double at the Jamaica national trials in two weeks. The final decision rests with his coach. “My hope is the 200m and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing.” And while pundits are already placing him in the sprint relay pool, his main goal is the individual event. However, he would gladly accept the opportunity if the relay were to come his way.
Last year this time, injury struck Ashmeade at the New York Grand Prix when he tore his hamstring, and the world was robbed of seeing how much he had grown after graduating from St. Jago High.
Since last year, he has increased his training tremendously. “I work out a lot,” he said, explaining his enhanced muscular physique. “Getting hurt, your whole mindset changes. You want to prove to the world that you are the best and that you can be better than what anybody says you can be. This year, my gym work has stepped up a lot; my track workout is a whole lot better, so it just [his physique] shows.”
The 21-yr-old Ashmeade has been creating a buzz recently with his times in the sprint double, and this weekend he is in New York to take on training partners Tyson Gay and Steve Mullings in the 100m dash at the addidas Grand Prix, the sixth stop in the international Samsung Diamond League series.
Last month, he ran under 20secs for the 200m and since then, joined the Jamaican 100m sub-10secs group. The latter event, however, is his least favorite.
“I love the 200m more; that’s my best event, but I prefer the 400m more than the 100m,” he said, noting that the 400m is longer and allows more time than the 100m to correct mistakes. He also noted that though he has a strong finish in the 100m, his start is his big weakness. “So once my start improves, I’ll have a better time.”
And while he works on his start, he seems unperturbed about the new false-start rule, which unlikely won’t get him if he follows his own advice: Be patient, focus and just wait on the gun.
He and Yohan Blake
Always a formidable competitor and team player in high school, a major turning point came for the young Ashmeade at Champs 2008, when he realized he could win against the odds. He saw Ramone McKenzie from a rival school pass his teammate and reigning schoolboy sprinter Yohan Blake down the home straight in the 200m. The determined Ashmeade went after, and caught McKenzie to clinch victory on the line, and discovered his true potential.
Now, he says, “it feels weird [to run against Blake], knowing that we used to compete in high school for over five years, and he went to coach Mills and I to Lance Brauman. It’s three years now that we have not competed together, so me and him in the race feels funny, but it’s professional work – no feelings. After the race we’ll talk, but now, it’s strictly business.”
Thrives on Strong Competition
The driving force for Ashmeade remains the quality of the field in which he finds himself. Like what happened at Champs 2008, he performs much better when the competition is strong, and his train camp provides just that with Gay and Mullings alongside him daily. Then there are Travis Padgett (US) and Keston Bledman (Trinidad), who have also gone under 10 seconds.
“We all train together, we help each other, we train hard, and we always compete and try to run better times everyday in practice. It’s a gift,” he says.
As for his next assignment tomorrow, Ashmeade will be among a strong line-up of 9+secs competitors. “I just broke 10 seconds so I know it will be good for me. I am going out there to perform well and stay injury free, execute well and do what my coach says I’m supposed to do.”