Maurice Harrison: Aiming for Decathlon gold
By Dania Bogle
Excelsior High’s track team captain Maurice Harrison says going one better than the silver medal he won in the decathlon at the 2013 Inter-Secondary School Boys & Girls Athletic Championships is his aim for the upcoming season.
Harrison, in only his second year of competing in the multi-discipline event, posted a personal best 6352 points to finish behind Calabar’s Adrian Riley and was rewarded with a trip to this year’s Penn Relays in Philadelphia for his effort. Next year that will however not be enough for the athlete, who entered the event with a personal best of 5345 points.
“I’m one of the favourites and this year I’m really aiming for the gold and possibly a record that is unbeatable over a number of years,” he told MilesplitJa.
The 6 ft 2-inch tall Harrison is the cousin of Calabar 400m sensation, Javon Francis. He competed in the individual 400m as well as the high jump himself until he made the switch a couple of years ago.
“This is my second year competing and first year medalling due to the fact that that I got a new coach and he showed me how to be a real competitor as you go with the hard training. Sometimes I feel like breaking down right there but he encouraged me to keep up the good work and I just do my thing and go out there and did my best,” he explained.
He added: “Due to the first experience it was a bit hard for me. I wasn’t experienced enough. I didn’t know how to compete at my best and going up against more experienced athlete it was hard for me to maintain a certain ability. Doing 10 events it was just a major challenge for me but now I can fully operate at a momentum.”
The athlete said he wants to surpass the current ‘Champs’ record by more than 2000 points. The newly-appointed team captain knows he has to set an example for his team-mates who will go out on the field come March 2014.
“They look up to me as a role model. The coach always tells me he doesn’t just want a captain, he wants an example. It is very challenging and more of a huge responsibility to be a captain.”
caption- members of Excelsior High School's track team. Maurice Harrison is front centre.
