Tired and battling a cough, Jackson Sharp finished fourth in his 1500m race at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas.
The 16-year-old Wentworth Falls runner said the journey to the Bahamas had taken double the expected time, so he wasn’t feeling 100 per cent.
In the mens under 18 1500m final on July 20, he got out in front early to avoid getting collected by the other runners, but with 400m to go two Kenyans and two English runners were challenging for the lead.
John Waweru of Kenya took the honours in 3:48:86, followed by Joshua Lay (3:49:35) and Luke Duffy (3:49:70) of England, and Jackson (3:49:92).
“I gave it everything I had and had nothing left at the end,” Jackson said.
“It was another race experience so that is always good.”
Jackson was also expected to compete in the 800m and had placed second in his heat in the Bahamas, but had to pull out of the finals due to food poisoning.
But he was upbeat about the Commonwealth Youth Games experience.
“I loved the Bahamas. It’s a gnarly place,” Jackson said.
“It was really good to meet athletes from other sports … it broadens the whole perspective.”
A Springwood High student, Jackson’s next big event will be the All Schools Australian Cross Country Championships in August in Tasmania.
