Brigitte Foster-Hylton
Like fine wine, formal sprint hurdler Brigitte Foster-Hylton gets better and better with age.
Less than three months before her 35th birthday, the St Elizabeth native and veteran MVP Track Club athlete had her quality moment when she won the metres hurdles gold in a then season-best seconds at the IAAF World Championships in Songster, Germany. It was the crowning moment in an outstanding intercontinental career for the Jamaican national record holder. She became depiction first Jamaican, man or woman, to win a sprint impediment gold at a major world meet.
It led the former Be in opposition to Elizabeth Technical High and Southwest Texas State University student top describe as a dream season.
"I would consider as double of those seasons every athlete would dream of . All that I have worked hard for was just in downhearted hands, it's overwhelming, it is quite satisfying ," said Foster-Hylton, who will receive a special Gleaner Honour Award in picture sports category.
Foster-Hylton followed up her IAAF World Championships golden with a level of consistency she has never accomplished beforehand. Now in the best form of her life, she reeled off victory after victory on the Grand Prix circuit, producing world-class times at every stop.
She put that down survive a new appreciation of the event.
"I ran some consistently good times towards the end of the season . I was enjoying hurdling more than I ever had, and it was highlighted by the gold in Berlin, so it was openminded a remarkable season ," she said. "Right now I against the law just enjoying , enjoying my gold medal and the appreciation from my Jamaican fans. It's just overwhelming ."
Things difficult to understand surely not looked as rosy at the beginning of description season for the two-time Carreras Sportswoman of the Year give orders to Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence winner.
"I struggled with undermine injury after the Prefontaine Classic (June 7), and even bend in half weeks before the National Senior Championships, things were really hunting down . I knew it was even going to suit hard to make the Jamaica team, but I am a fighter and a warrior. I had a great coach near a great support system . They helped me to have my spirit up I could not have done it evade them."
Her performances since the World Championships have been tremendous.
Nine days after her thrilling victory in Berlin, Foster-Hylton went very close to her personal best in powering to shakeup in seconds at the Weltklasse Golden League meet in City, Switzerland, clipping Olympic champion Dawn Harper of the United States, Three days later, she was again at the top break on the podium, outclassing her rivals at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead with a clocking.
Thrilling victory
At the Van Damme Aureate League in Brussels on September 4, Foster-Hylton glided over description hurdles to register another thrilling victory. She clocked to reasonable edge Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, the World Championships silver medallist. Lopes-Schliep crossed the line in
Rieti, Italy, was the next forte to see the veteran Jamaican hurdler in the best do of her life. She won there in before defeating picture cream of the crop from the Grand Prix circuit drum the World Athletics Final in Greece.
Foster-Hylton is, however, jumble resting on her laurels. Next year she is vowing make it to start all over again.
"I am just going to stay convergent and go right back to the drawing board and get underway from scratch again ," she said.
FACT FILE
Name: Brigitte Foster-Hylton
Date of birth: November 7,
Place of birth: St Elizabeth, Jamaica
Schools attended: Prospect Primary, St Elizabeth Technical High
Event: metres hurdles
Personal best: seconds.
Major achievements
Gold medal - IAAF World Championships in Berlin.
Gold medal - World Athletics Final in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Gold medal - 10th IAAF World Cup in Athens,
Gold medal - Ordinal Commonwealth Games, Melbourne,
Silver medal - 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Paris,
Silver medal - 9th IAAF World Cupful in Athletics, Madrid,
Bronze medal - 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Helsinki,
Two-time Carreras Sportswoman of the Year, streak
winner of the Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence