Faster, Faster, Faster: The stride of Kirani ‘Jaguar’ James

Men’s 400m Semi-final, London2012: Oscar Pistorious was making history as the first double amputee to run in the Olympics. In awe of his relentless spirit, I scream my lungs out as the gun goes off. C’mon Oscar,C’mon! The race ends. I’m still in awe of Oscar for what he has achieved, when the BBC screens show a tall and majestic young man, still panting, walk up to him and swap his nametag with Oscar as a sign of respect for the athlete. In an instant, he won the hearts and respect of millions watching the race. And then he went on to win the Gold!

The young man is Kirani James, a nineteen year old athlete from the tiny island nation of Grenada. A world champion and now an Olympic champion. That evening he cemented Grenada’s place in Olympic history and his own in the hearts and minds of spectators.So, when I planned on writing this blog, I was sure I wanted to start with his story. 

I wrote a freak email to Olympics Grenada asking for a chance to speak with Kirani. Within 10 minutes, I had an email, putting me in touch with his agent Renaldo Nehemiah (once world’s best 110m hurdler). In the next half hour, I managed to speak with Renaldo.

‘How about tomorrow? I am flying back to the States, but will put you in touch with his coach, Harvey Glance. He can tell you what time works best after tonight’s medal ceremony’.  Was this real?

 Next morning, I called coach Glance, an Olympic gold medalist himself. Could I make it to the EAT café at Westfield mall at 12:30 today? Of course, I could! I bargained for 15 minutes of their precious time and the chance to see, touch and feel his gold medal and they obliged. Readily. I was elated at the prospect of breaking bread with two Olympians.

8th August, 12:20 PM, Westfield Mall, Stratford: The mall is teeming with people. At the café, not a seat was empty. I’ll perhaps wait to the corner seat to get empty. I was sure they would never arrive before 1 PM anyway.

12:30 sharp: Kirani and Coach Glance walk in. Disbelief again! First indication already on why he is a successful athlete. We manage to find a quiet corner in the mall, away from people who were beginning to ask for a photograph with him.

So when did he realize that he had a talent for sprinting? At the age of twelve, he says, in his gentle baritone. What? Most kids of that age are still throwing tantrums over food. And here he is, making choices about his life.

Kirani grew up in the small fishing community , Guyove in Grenada, where his father works as a labourer. His family are keen basketball players but he chose sprinting instead. I ask him why. ‘I participated in the Youth games in the Carribean and won the 400m when I was fourteen. If I could be so good at such a young age, I could be better. So I started believing and working harder.’ What remarkable confidence for a fourteen year old!  At seventeen, he was recruited on a scholarship to the University of Alabama under coach Harvey Glance. Here, he earned the nickname ‘Jaguar’ for his running style, as if he was going for his prey. At 18, he became the World Champion. At 19, he is the Olympic champion. What a CV already, eh?

I’m still amazed by this young man and his belief, when Coach Glance chips in. ‘The greatest thing about Kirani is his make-up. He is a modest, humble young man. I think it all comes from his family. The apple don’t fall far from the tree.’  That humility and modesty was evident on the track. After winning the race, Kirani did not run into the stands, as athletes usually do. Instead, he walked back and shook hands with all his competitors. Now I witness the same modesty off it.

What about opportunity? Small countries have limited opportunities as far as facilities, coaches etc were concerned. Had he not won the scholarship to study and train in the US, could he have achieved this? ‘If you are hungry and you want it, you make it happen. I don’t take anything for granted. I appreciate the opportunity I have and do the best I can do. All I want to do is run for my country and make everyone associated with me proud’.’ He knows where he comes from but chooses to talk about the opportunity than dwell on the challenges with gentle steeliness.

Coach Glance thinks it’s not about the best coaches and training facilities. Of course, they matter. ‘But you have got to create your own “situation”. Even though there are a lot of opportunities in my country, lot of people let them pass by because they have not put themselves in a position to be started’, he says emphatically. What Kirani did, was to put himself in the situation, with his talent, hard work, commitment  and determination , to be recruited by  coach Glance at the University of Alabama.

How does he keep himself from all the distractions of the modern world? Like twitter and Facebook? I tell him that I looked for him on twitter and couldn’t find him. He laughs. He says he cannot handle twitter and so he stays away. So that’s how you focus!

 Managing  academics at university with athletics.How does he do it? ‘The one thing I promised myself and my parents was that I was going to get a good education. I have been finding the balance since I was twelve. I am now good at it’. When he is back in Tuscaloosa, he has the schedule of any regular student with classes often late into evening with a lot of track practice thrown in good measure.

Phew!I was beginning to get completely overawed by this level headed young man when I decide to ask him what it takes to be a champion, to reach one’s goal. ‘ Confidence in your ability. Don’t try to be somebody else. When you try to be somebody else and emulate them in what they do and you don’t do it, you’re going to be disappointed’. I gasp and ask him whether he is indeed a nineteen year old. He laughs shyly.

It was time for lunch. Kirani suggests a Carribean kiosk in the mall that he had been to before. Coach and I jumped at the prospect. At the kiosk, he is mobbed. Everyone wants a photograph with the young athlete. We sit down for lunch of rice and peas and curried goat. Even before he has stuck in his first spoonful, a little kid walks up. ‘Can I please get a photograph with you?' He nods vertically with that now famous affable smile, which means yes. And it’s pretty much the same routine for the rest of the meal. By the end of lunch, not one person has gone away disappointed. He says that is how young kids get inspired. He hopes to inspire many more, in Grenada and elsewhere.

Michael Johnson believes that Kirani could break his 400m World record(43.18 sec). At nineteen, he ran 43.94 seconds at the Olympic final. With that head on his tall frame and the team around him, it’s only faster, faster, faster for the young Kirani James.