Talbert: "I never dreamt that I would reach this far so early."
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
HE IS known to his peers as 'Jump-up' although he is not a jumper. His name is Wainard Talbert, Jamaica's latest 'King of the Road'.
The Holmwood Technical final year student has made a name for himself on the road, winning race after race and in the process taking over from Linton McKenzie, who dominated for years.
Although he was beaten in the Burger King 10K, the final of five races for the 2003 season, Talbert was able to hold off his rivals to win the Jamdammers' 'Road to the Reggae Marathon Grand Prix Series' with 82 points. His role model, veteran McKenzie of Windalco, who won the race, had to settle for second in the Series with 76 points.
The talented teenager then moved on to the Reggae Half Marathon where he shone in winning the 13.1 mile event in Negril, Westmoreland. He posted a personal best one hour, 12 minutes and 16 seconds to beat Kenya's Moses Macharia and Robert Watson of JDF.
This season has also been going well for the Clarendonian, who has won all three races to date, and with two to go, he believes he has things covered.
Talbert, who won his Grand Prix Series road race last year, admitted he faced some challenging times.
"I am going for the Negril half marathon again this year," Talbert said.
Talbert, who prefers the 5K, said he plans to win all five races in the Grand Prix Series.
"I am on a good programme and coach is 100 per cent behind me," he said.
"I never dreamt that I would reach this far so early."
Although he started out in 2001, he did not win his first race until 2002 when he finished third overall, but dominated in 2003.
CAREER STARTED IN HIS BACKYARD
Like many, Talbert's career started in his backyard.
"I started out training by myself ... running around my yard and community, after which I got interested in track and field," he said.
During those times, he came across a lot of negative comments from people in his community, but thanks to encouragement from his grandfather, he never gave up.
"People in my community used to say, watch the idiot/jackass, nah go no weh and a run up and down. I started to get discouraged but my grandfather always told me to continue because one day I was going to make it big time."
Talbert, a fourth-place finisher at last year's Pan Am American Junior Championships, admires former world record holder for 5,000m (12:39.36) and 10,000m (26:22.75), Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie.
"I used to admire Gebrselassie. I told myself that one day I must can beat him or run a faster time than him," Talbert said.
There were times when he had to start training as early as 3:00 a.m. However, Talbert, a bronze medallist at the CAC Cross Country Championship, never liked the idea when his former teacher, Mrs Gooden, who he used to live with, came to wake him with a slap in the head.
She would say to me, "it's what you put in you get out", however, that did not stop him from grumbling and people from continuing to mock him.
"Every day mi a run and mi can't come on TV. I always tell myself, one day, one day I am going to be a big star, because once there is life, there is hope," he said of his perseverance through the tough times.
He remembered telling his friend, Sheldon Banes, that one day he was going to be a big track star and nobody in Jamaica was going to beat him. And with Banes' encouraging words of "believe in yourself" ringing in his ears, things became easier and easier for him.
However, even when Talbert hit the road race circuit he was still a laughing stock, especially when the girls beat him.
ALWAYS FROWN
"They (fans) used to say, watch the idiot just come a race just fi di food and the free T-shirt. Mi always a frown and said to myself, one day, by hook or crook, I am going to be a big star".
McKenzie was dominant at this time and Talbert said he always wanted to be like him. I said to my coach (Edward Hector), 'coach I want to be like McKenzie, coach said, 'no, try again'. I said like Michael Tomlin, he again said, no try again and I said I want to be like Lerone Lawson, coach said, Jump-up, you cannot be like Tomlin, McKenzie nor Lawson you have to be Jump-up."
He remembered his coach saying: "I am going to make you be a big star, you are going to win races, you are going be famous, you are going to be popular and you are going to get a lot of girls, but only one thing, anytime you start hype, your fame is going to leave you, because if you get injured, is just yourself.
"Coach also warned me to remember where I am coming from. He (Hector) is like a father to me, we will sit down and reason like a father and son."
He also identified Alfred Francis, director of the JAAA's Youth Programme as a person who helped motivate him. He said Francis also treats him like a son.
"He will call me every week and ask how is my schoolwork," Talbert said.
He aims to be Jamaica's No. 1 marathon runner some day.
"That's my biggest dream for 2008," he said of the Olympic Games in Beijing.
McKenzie is also credited as a motivator for Talbert.
"He (McKenzie) always said to me, look at the trophies and tell yourself which one you want and go there and work for that. I rate McKenzie, because he is my role model."
