ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É

Holmwood Technical's Florence Nafamba is anxiously awaiting the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs) to help them win their 10th title, and the Ugandan is expressing happiness about the welcome that has been bestowed on her since arriving in Jamaica in August.

Nafamba is one of two Ugandans Holmwood have registered to end their long title drought, and she has been a leading spark for them so far this season, which has enabled the Christiana-based institution to be hot with excellent results at various development meets.

The 15-year-old is confident about her expectations for Champs, regarded as one of the world's best high school events and has a long history that started as far back as 1910.

"I can't wait for the Championships to come as I want to break the record in the steeplechase and do well in any other event I get to do. Also, I want to help Holmwood to win the title. I feel great, and I will just continue working hard so I can get better," she said.

Nafamba has impressed at the meets she has participated in, winning the Open girls' 3,000 metres at the JAAA Puma/Fuller/Anderson Meet at Kirkvine in January. Last Saturday at the Youngster/Goldsmith Classics inside the National Stadium, she underlined her pedigree by turning back a strong field to win the Open girls' 2,000 steeplechase, leaving behind Edwin Allen's Shantae Gibson, and Hydel's duo Kaydene Johnson and Taiefa Gowe.

"I feel very good about my win, and this will definitely give me a lot of confidence going forward. I am really enjoying competing in Jamaica," she said.

"I came to Jamaica because my coach is from Jamaica, and when he was coming back, he encouraged my parents to send me here and to attend Holmwood which is a good school. I have no regrets coming here and the atmosphere is very good as I feel at home because of the excellent treatment I am getting from the other girls and the coaching staff.

"The programme here is similar to that in my country, but sometimes here, it kind of gets a bit hard, but I have no problem with that because, without hard work, you cannot succeed. I like the warm condition here as it is kind of cold where I am coming from, and I love the Jamaican food," she continued.