Teenager Reid beams with pride at relay opportunity
PARIS, France — National junior 100m record holder Alana Reid says she plans on using the experience gained from attending her first Olympic Games in Paris to work much harder next season.
Reid, 19, who finished sixth in the women’s 100m final at the National Championships last month, was selected as a reserve member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team for the event in Paris.
“It is a great feeling to be out here with the seniors, and it makes me look up to them and tell myself that anything I put my mind to, I can achieve,” said Reid.
“It is a great feeling to be here because this is something that I had on my vision board, and it came to light. It is just for me to stay focused and do what I have to do.
“Next season will be my second year in the professional field, and being here at the Olympic Games is a big motivation for me to go back and work much harder to attain my goals of securing an individual spot on the World Championships team next year,” she added.
The country’s 4x100m relay pool for the Olympic Games also includes Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Tia Clayton, and Shashalee Forbes.
The Jamaicans are the defending champions in the event, having won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. “Based on the relay pool that we have, I think we have a great team, and it is just for us to stay focused and for everybody to put in the work required to be successful at the championships,” Reid added.
The former Hydel High School standout, who has a personal best time of 10.92 seconds, has a season’s best effort of 11.09 this season.
Reid described this season as very difficult due to the death of her uncle only months ago; nevertheless, she managed to pull through to make the Jamaican team two months later.
“I think this season is one that I would like to forget, especially losing my uncle in April. He was someone who was really close to me,” she said. “He was like a second father to me, but nevertheless, I never doubted myself. I used that as motivation, knowing that his dream for me was to make the Olympic team, and I did just that. I know he would be very proud of me.”
