O’Dayne Richards looks to get back to his best
Published:Sunday | November 27, 2022 | 12:13 AMLivingston Scott - Gleaner Writer
BETWEEN 2013 and 2015, Jamaican shot putter O’Dayne Richards was on top of his game, defending his gold medals at the CAC (Central America and Caribbean) Championship (2013), and also winning gold at the Commonwealth (2014) and Pan American games (2015).
However, his crowning moment came at the 2015 World Championship where he captured a bronze medal in his pet event.
Since 2015, however, the former St George’s College athlete has struggled to achieve those heights.
In 2018, he appeared to be returning to his best after a goal medal at the CAC games and a bronze at the NACAC Championships, but he was found wanting on the bigger global events.
Nevertheless, the 33-year-old insists his passion remains in tact while revealing that he has been experimenting with new methods to get his game back on track.
“I did not have a successful season but my passion is still in the sport and I am trying to do my best.
“It is very difficult to evaluate where I am in terms of having a competition to say exactly where my true efforts are, but, based on my performance in training, things are decent, I think reasonable, at this time of the year. Hopefully, it is setting the foundation for better performances,” he said.
He disclosed that, for the last few years, he has been tinkering with various methods of training, which has not proven effective.
SUITABLE PROGRAMME
However, he thinks he has gathered enough knowledge to develop a suitable programme, although he still requires competition to prove if his new theory works.
“I always try to experiment and try new things and, when you are trying new things, you do not know if it is going to work or not.
“You are hoping that whatever new training methods or exercise that you are doing will translate into performances later on.
“However, the things that I have tried have not worked but, with the experience and knowledge I have gained and the things that I have tried and knowing what works or not, it’s now about putting together a programme to try to get to the next level.
“I am my biggest critic. I always have ambition of being the best in the world but, in my analysis, I haven’t performed well since 2017 and right now it is difficult to say because, when you are trying something new, it is difficult to say that it is working. So, without the test, I am unsure,” he reasoned.
Richards started his preparation for the season more than a month ago and expects to be in solid shape when his season starts in January.
“I need the test by competition to say, yes, what I have done has worked. I am not yet at the point but I am optimistic that this time around I will be in a lot better position than I was in the past few years.”