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National record holder Anderson promises greatness
February 20, 2023
Reigning national men's 800 metres champion Navasky Anderson will be working hard to improve different aspects of his race, seeking to fulfil a promise of greatness for the remainder of the season.
Anderson was in record-breaking form last week, obliterating the national indoor record at the Music City Challenge at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he stormed to a time of 1:46.58 minutes to erase his previous mark of 1:49.99 set in 2021.
He anticipates presenting Jamaica with more highlights during the season, while also continuing to inspire younger athletes with his solid performances that will keep his name being mentioning.
"This season will be a season for greatness, just staying strong-minded and confident. There is a lot out there to be accomplished, and there's a lot more out there for Navasky. It's about staying in the spotlight and encouraging younger individuals who have been reaching out to me. I just want to continue to inspire them and do what I've been doing," Anderson explained.
According to Anderson, the objective heading into last week's race was to test where he was in his season.
"Going into the race, the plan was to see where we were at, at this point in the season. Going into the race, I knew I was in great shape, so now I'm just trying to stay healthy and fit.
"It's just for me to mimic quality race patterns and stay comfortable; and I'm happy that I ran a good race, because that was the intention. I knew what the national record was, so I just woke up and decided that I'm going to take a shot at it," he said.
The 23-year-old is also the national outdoor record holder after clocking 1:45.02 minutes at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, last year. The former St Jago High standout, despite his success, agreed with critics that he needs to correct the speed aspect of his race.
"I've been working towards different aspects and techniques on how I can improve my race, and speed is definitely in the picture," he remarked.
Anderson hopes to debut on the Diamond League circuit this season, which he anticipates will further propel his stock and have the top 800 metres athletes take note of his intent.
"That's the utmost goal. The aim really of entering the Diamond League circuit is basically to put my name out there. Even though my name is already out there, it's just to put it there on a more serious level and say, Navasky is here and he's here to win, not just to make finals, not just here to run. That's what I'm also working towards," he said.
