‘I did not want to be experimented on’

Following a massive new personal best in the 400 metres, Junior Gallimore is assured that he made the right choice in switching from Calabar High to Hydel High to stay under the tutelage of head coach Corey Bennett.

Gallimore made the switch to Hydel after Bennett left his role as head coach of Calabar’s track and field programme.

He explained that he chose to leave with Bennett because the coach continues to have a positive impact on his track and field career.

“The change for me from moving from Calabar to Hydel was because first off, Mr Bennett has been with me most of my high-school career,” Gallimore said.

“Before Mr Bennett arrived, I didn’t know I could do many things. I didn’t know how fast I could run or if I would even be good enough to make my first team. But when Mr Bennett arrived, I started to do things that I did not know my body could do,” he continued.

“I started to run faster, I became mentally stronger. Mr Bennett isn’t just a coach, I would say he’s a therapist as well. He helps you to get through hardships, training, and mental battles as well.”

Gallimore explained that he was uncertain about Calabar’s choice to replace Bennett and foresaw several upheavals in the programme’s management staff.

With this being his final year in high school, and on the brink of the decision of either going to college or moving into the professional ranks, Gallimore said he wanted to be under the guidance of a familiar head coach.

“The management staff was planning to get a new coach for the final year that I would be there for - that is the 2026 season- but if I’m being completely honest, I did not want to be experimented on by a new coach in my last year,” he explained.

RIGHT CHOICE

“I believe the last year is the pinnacle of my high school track and field career where I would either move on to college or go pro. So with Mr Bennett leaving, I did not want to be experimented on, so I made the right choice to move along with him.”

Gallimore is reaping the benefits of his change of environment and has settled in at Hydel.

The versatile athlete is in the form of his life, which he proved by picking up the 400-metre hurdles and 200m double title at the Central Championships last month.

The highlight of his season, however, came at the recent Carifta Trials, where he ran a massive personal best of 45.87 seconds, lowering his previous best of 47.40.

He finished second in the men’s 400m final, booking his place at the Carifta Games.

Gallimore said he was not surprised when he dipped under the 46-second barrier because he knew he was in terrific form.

“Going into Carifta Trials, it was a discussion between me and my coach if I should go for the 400m hurdles and the 200m, or if I should go for the 400m and the 200m,” he said.

“A few days before, I decided to withdraw from the 400m hurdles and pursue the 400 and the 200 because I’ve only run one 400 this season, and that was in December, so I wanted to see where my body was.”

He continued, “To be honest, it was kind of surprising, but it wasn’t really because I knew that I was in tip-top shape, but we have to thank God nevertheless because that was a good run.”

Gallimore highlighted three meets, which he said wouldbe his major aims this season.

His first will be the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the end of March, where he hopes to close off his high school career in winning fashion.

He will then turn his attention to the Carifta Games, where he hopes to improve on the bronze medal he won in the 200m last year.

His final and biggest aim will be to make the Jamaican team for his first-ever World Athletics U20 Championships, scheduled to be held in Eugene, Oregon, from August 5 to August 9.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com