By Neto Baptiste
US-based Antiguan high jumper Priscilla Frederick Loomis believes that this summer’s Tokyo Olympics could be her last.
The athlete, who is yet to qualify for the July 23 to August 8 games, said the road traveled thus far has been a difficult one which has taken on toll on both her physically and mentally.
“I am exhausted. I have been a true warrior and a leader in tenacity and strength and resilience and courage, but if this journey has taught me anything it’s that, if you can withstand being beat down 10,000 times and get back up, then you are a true warrior and I truly feel that I am, but I definitely can say that after Covid and after postponement of the games, looking for a new coach, it’s tough. Do I think it’s my last Olympics? Probably, yeah, unless some things change, but this would be my farewell,” she said.
Loomis was expected to compete at this weekend’s National Track & Field Championships being put on by the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association (ABAA) at the YASCO Sports Complex, but the event has tentatively been rescheduled to next week.
The athlete has however faced some major setbacks to include contracting Covid-19 which led to a two-month layoff from training and competition.
“My circumstances are what they are and I have the same 24 hours like everybody else but me getting sick and losing two months of training was absolutely detrimental, but it takes time. As everybody knows, you need the indoor season and you need the outdoor season and to lose an entire outdoor season was pretty rough. I feel very confident that I have to, that’s the whole mentality, so as an athlete I have to always believe that it can happen at any day, at any time,” she said.
Loomis is still trying to hit the required height of 1.96 meters (6.4 feet) that would qualify her for the Tokyo Olympics.
Following the nationals, Loomis and a number of other national athletes will compete at an Olympic qualifier slated for the Bahamas later this month.