Shafiqua to compete in SVG next year

The talent of Vincentian Olympian Shafiqua Maloney will be on display in St. Vincent in 2025 for the first time in years, Team Athletics SVG has announced.

Speaking at a welcoming ceremony at Argyle International Airport on Wednesday as Maloney returned home for the first time since the Paris Olympics, President of Team Athletics SVG, Keith Joseph, noted that the athlete is yet to run on the synthetic track at Diamond.

Joseph, however, noted that the US-based athlete has been on the track twice — when she went to greet athletes competing in the inter-primary competition and the following day at the secondary schools’ competition.

“She endeared herself to all in attendance and was the admiration of the athletes,” Joseph said.

Maloney was edged out of a place on the podium by .22 seconds during the Aug. 5 finals, which was watched by thousands of Vincentians, including a large crowd gathered at Heritage Square, in Kingstown.

Joseph said Maloney’s performance in Paris has done much to young Vincentian athletes “in terms of the shaping of their own future.

“While she has not yet competed on the synthetic surface at Diamond, she will in 2025,” Joseph said, adding that the most points an athlete can earn in the ranking is by competing in their national championships.

“And that is by design by the World Athletics, largely because they want athletes, elite athletes, to return home and compete before their home crowd so that they can actually see you in the flesh repeat what you have done elsewhere,” Joseph said.

“And so, from 2025, all our athletes will be home to compete in our national championships. It’s something that we can look forward to, and we give thanks that we have a facility that will allow them to compete at the very highest level.”

Joseph thanked everyone who contributed to Maloney’s performance and the athlete herself.

“Thank you very much for taking the name of St. Vincent and the Grenadines yet higher in the international sports arena and for leading the way for other athletes, particularly female athletes, to make a name for themselves and for this country in the sport of athletics.”

He said Maloney follows a line of Vincentian achievers in track and field athletics.

Joseph noted that at the Pan-American Games in 1995, St. Vincent won its first medal in that event with Ezra Coombs, who later went on to win gold at the World University student games in Fukuoka, Japan.

Coombs became the first Vincentian to reach the semi-finals at the Olympic Games, doing so in 1996.

Kenique Alexander won bronze twice — at the CSC Games in 2006 in Cartagena, Colombia and the Pan American Games in Toronto in 2015.

“But none of them, none of them, made it to the finals,” Joseph said.

“It puts Shafiqua in a very special category and it’s a tribute to her own determination, her own commitment and the support that she has had that allowed her to measure up to the international competition that she was up against in Paris.”

The sports administration said it is always heart-warming when an athlete emerges and rises to the level that Maloney has done.

“There is a long road ahead, as she’s aware. Last year, she was third in the Central American and Caribbean Games in the 800 meters. Handal Roban won gold in the 800 meters for men, and they were the two representatives for us in Paris,” Joseph further said.

“We expect great things from them going forward,” he said.

Shafiqua says difficulties build character

Meanwhile, fielding questions during the welcome ceremony, Maloney said her journey has taught her how to work for what she wants.

“I had to work for what I wanted this year, a lot harder than I had any other years in my life,” said Maloney who took to the media in February to complain about difficulties buying food and paying her rent in the United States after being homeless last year.

“But I think it played a part in making me a stronger person; built my character… I think everybody knows nothing in life comes easy but when you’re in a situation where that is all you have to live by — because when I started training last year, I knew I didn’t have the resources or anything like that. And I told myself this is the last one. If nothing happens this year, like I’m done with track.”

She said her thoughts were not to give herself a way out but to push herself.

“… because I love to run, and I would hate to be in a position where I can’t run. So, when I went to training, I put everything I had so that I would be able to run. And so, I had to learn to work a lot harder than I have ever before in my life.”

Maloney said that going forward, she knows what it takes to make an Olympic final and be on the world stage with other athletes.

“And just going forward — one, don’t take nothing for granted. Today, you have this; tomorrow, you don’t. Cherish the people, support the community around you, because me going to Paris and all that I achieved, it wasn’t a one-man band type of thing.”

Maloney said she had her sponsors, community, coach and everybody supporting her.

“And what I went through, I’m grateful for it, very grateful because, like I said, if I hadn’t gone through that, then I wouldn’t be the person that I am today, and I wouldn’t achieve anything that I have achieved so far.

“What I went through, one of the things I learned is not to ask God, ‘Why me?’

“But what is the lesson in this? And one thing he showed me is that I can achieve anything I want in life, as long as I trust and believe in Him.”

Maloney reached further than faster Vincy athletes

To young Vincentian athletes, Maloney said that growing up she was not always the fastest runner.

“I went to many CARIFTA games and the only time I medalled was on a relay. I’ve been on a regional stage. And it doesn’t matter where you start, it is definitely about how you end,” she said.

She said she could think of a lot of people were lot faster than her on the track but did not achieve what she had.

“And so, one of the biggest things is to just focus on yourself. Don’t pay attention to what’s going on around you, or the people who are probably progressing farther than you think you should be.”

She said that growing up, she learnt about focusing on what she wants to do in life, adding that she played netball and her father also had her in soccer.

“And so, enjoy sports. It can take you a lot farther than you possibly think in the world.

“… I have two degrees from track, I’ve been able to travel the world, and I’m out here, able to represent my country on an international stage. And I’m not that old, and I hope to be running with some of you very soon on a relay or something,” the 25-year-old athlete said.

She noted that SVG is small and might not have as many resources.

“But if anything, what I’ve done has showed you it doesn’t matter where you come from, but your mindset and hard work and ethic will get you anywhere you want in life.

“And so, anything is possible, as long as you put your mind to it. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, how you start. Hard work, determination, faith and just having good people around you could take you anywhere in life,” Maloney said.