‘Scooby’ Barrington aiming for sub 1m 50s in new season

Aug 08, 2020 Sports

Says if 100% fit would match strides with record holder

By Calvin Chapman

Devaun Barrington

Barrington leading from the front as usual

National 800m champion, Devaun ‘Scooby’ Barrington has revealed that his target for the upcoming season will be to lower his personal best (PB) time of 1m 50s to 1m 48s. The middle distance specialist during his interview with Kaieteur Sport revealed that the 1:48 time was his target for this season but the deadly Covid-19 pandemic has put a damper on his plans with the last Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Track & Field meet being held since last March at the National Track & Field Center (NTFC) on the West Coast.
The pandemic forced the country into a lockdown and only recently persons have returned to training using the guidelines of World Athletics but the impact of not being in action since March lingers.
Barrington shared that, “Most definitely not competing for a prolonged period would’ve affected me mentally and physically because at the starting of the season it is important to have outlined your specific goals and timings to achieve. It means then that the whole coaching programme and cycle would’ve been hampered.”
“Going forward they’re still doubts about the reopening of the proper training facilities and the National Track and Field Centre. So we have to still train with a sense of uncertainty, which again leaves us at a disadvantage because my coach and I don’t want me to peak when there is no competition.”
Barrington expounded that “Competition is extremely important because you get a measure of where you’re at and need to be rather than just training blindly.” The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) athlete highlighted that the lucrative Aliann Pompey Invitational will be missed this year, “I always look forward to this meet because I get to experience a much higher level of competition from the foreign athletes and it’s a great learning opportunity.”
Since dominating the 800m for a few years locally, he was really looking forward for some international competition with a potential clash with current National record holder, Quamel Prince, who is U.S. based.
His thoughts on the Prince who ran 1:45.58 (1m 45.58s) last year read, “By far he’s more superior being that he’s a sub 1:50 runner and I’m not but i most certainly believe i stand a chance. In favourable conditions I’m confident that I would be able to match strides with him once I’m 100% fit and prepared.”
The AAG, speaking exclusively with Kaieteur Sport during this week, had revealed that they are working towards August 30th as the date for the National Senior Championships, based on the proposed phase 5 date (August 14) of reopening set out by the National Covid-19 Task Force.
Barrington said that if the August 30th Meet is a reality, then his Coach, Julian Edmonds, will make the decision if he will compete or not.

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