Flanigan: 'Confident I'll do well'
Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
ADRIAN FLANIGAN may have seemed nervous throughout the St. Catherine Spelling Bee Parish Finals, but he was as cool as ice in the Antarctic.
If the name Flanigan rings a bell with this competition, it's because his older brother Prince won the same title in 2001.
Seeing his brother getting words from the Spelling Bee book, Adrian had started to learn some of them himself.
In July last year, he formally joined the group of spellers coached by Rev. Glen Archer.
"I was a little nervous at first but after the first word, I think I settled down. When I saw that it was just the two of us (Regina Bish of Kensington Primary came second), I just hoped that all the training wouldn't go to waste," he said.
He readily thanks his older brother for some useful advice: "He told me to study hard and trust in God and not to get frightened during the spelling."
Adrian also gets help from last year's All-Island Champion Cornel Grey who also attended Portmore Missionary Prep.
The champion now studies for about two hours a day, four days a week, in preparation
for the National Final. In his spare time, Adrian loves to read; especially books about animals.
The Gleaner was also told that he is also a good bowler and plays football, but with the spelling lessons and GSAT studies to contend with, he just doesn't have the time.
He lists Campion College and Ardenne High as his top two choices when he does the GSAT exam later this year. He loves reading books about animals and would like to become a doctor.
Described by those close to him as 'a fighter', Adrian seems shyer than that, but still confident. He is aware that even if he doesn't win the national title, he has another two years of eligibility because he's only 11. But he wouldn't mind winning now.
"I am confident that I'll do well. We (his coach, Kingston champion Kevaughn Newland and St. Andrew champion Stacey-Ann Pearson) are a team but we still know that we're competing against each other. I know it will be a big challenge," he says.
Just as he looked up to Prince, Adrian's younger brother Jordan and adopted brother Christopher both look to him. The Flanigans might have a dynasty of their own to talk about.
