Jamaican sprinter Nesta Carter flew into icy New York last night when the city was being pummeled by yet another snow storm. The 100m specialist is in the Big Apple to compete in the Visa Men’s 60m dash at the 104th Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden tomorrow. “You know I’m not used to this kind of weather,” he told a press conference yesterday, organized to introduce three competing athletes to the media.
But this isn’t Carter’s first time running in New York or indoors. As a high school athlete, he competed at the Armory Track in Manhattan and last season he raced indoors in Birmingham, England and Doha, Qatar, clocking a 6.54 personal best (PB) and 6.72, respectively.
Considered one of the fastest starters in the world, the 26-year-old, who led off Jamaica’s world record sprint relay team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said running the 60m will help him improve his start.
“To complete the 100m, you have to get past the 60m, so working on the 60m [speed] will help the 100.”
He explained that this year he has been training harder and working harder, which involves more full-body workout as well as more focus on getting out the blocks faster. “My main goal for this season is to win a medal at this year’s World Championships. To be able to win, you have to make the team and then make it to the final,” said Jamaica’s third fastest man over the 100m – behind Usain Bolt and training partner Asafa Powell –with a PB of a blistering 9.78 seconds that’s ranked the 4th fastest of all time.
Step by Step
His plan is to take it step by step and put in the work necessary to reach the top.
Having being plagued by injury over recent years, Carter was injury-free last season and hopes to continue on that course. “Injury is a part of the sport,” he noted. “But I am trying to stay as healthy as possible and hopefully that [injury] won’t get in the way.”
Regarding the Millrose race tomorrow, Carter said he was looking forward to winning as well as the match-up with the US guys. “I don’t know about a world record but I’ll see what happens,” he said. His event is set for 7:05 p.m.
The MVP-Stephen Francis-trained Carter will return home to much warmer weather to indulge in what he loves doing when he’s not on the track – that’s playing video games and driving his modified – suped-up in Jamaican language – Honda Accord.