By Monica Iheakam
Former Jamaican sprint hurdle champion, Lacena Golding -Clarke, says Tobi Amusan’s recent achievements at the World champions and Commonwealth Games has been brewing for a while.
Golding-Clarke, a six -time World Championship finalist, an Olympian and 2002 Commonwealth Games champion has been the coach of the Nigerian super star who is the reigning World 100m hurdles champion since 2016.
In a gender leadership podcast interview by World Athletics on Monday, Golding -Clarke said that as far back as 2019 she has had the inclination that Amusan will be a World record breaker someday.
“In 2019, before we travelled to Doha (for the World Championships), I sort of had an inclination that she may come close, but that she might run in the 12.2s,” she said.
“In 2020, during the pandemic, we trained so hard. I had a feeling then that she could, but I did not expect that the world record could be broken by such a time. I was thinking she could go 12.19 or 12.18, but I am just happy that I was a part of it. Hoping for a world record every year, but this year it all just happened at once.”
“By the grace of God, she won, but it was all confidence,” says Golding-Clarke. “It was Eugene that took her through the rest of the season because she said: ‘I did it before, I can do it again!’ I am so proud of how she competed this year. Her season speaks for itself.”
The foundation of Golding-Clarke and Amusan’s success has been built on establishing and maintaining a relationship of trust, while their consistent enthusiasm and devotion to the process has allowed Amusan’s potential to flourish. When discussing some of her most enjoyable coaching moments, Golding-Clarke says:
“The most joy for me is to have a family oriented time during our practices. Most of my athletes, particularly in the university scene, our international student athletes and I, have to make a family out of them, for them to feel at home, for them to be the best they want to be. I feel my best aspect is how I care for them, and eventually they become who they want to be.”
Golding-Clarke also now holds a new role as assistant coach for the women’s sprints and hurdles programme at Auburn University.