Saint Lucian Olympic qualifier in action this weekend

Saint Lucian track and field fans will be able to watch a world-class athlete in live action this weekend at the George Odlum National Stadium/Hospital. Darvin Edwards made the final of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea last year, and he has also qualified for this year’s Olympic Games in London, England, where he will proudly fly the Saint Lucian colours in men’s high jump.
Today (Saturday) Edwards will compete in a League Challenge meeting at the National Stadium. The event will also commemorate World Athletics Day 2012. It will be the first time Darvin has competed on home soul since 2008 and his first outdoors competition since clearing 2.31m in Daegu to reset the Saint Lucia National Record and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States record for his event.
“I am going to be putting on a show for my Saint Lucian people,” says Edwards, who is presently training with Gregory Lubin and Dane Magloire. “We are going to be working from a short approach so I won’t be setting any records, but I’m aiming for at least 2.10m this weekend. It’s going to be special competing once again in front of my home crowd and it’s going to be a really useful benchmark for me.”
Since his recent return to Saint Lucia, Edwards has had productive discussions with Minister for Youth Development & Sports, Shawn Edwards; and president of the Saint Lucia Athletics Association, Cornelius Breen.
He has also entered into a sponsorship agreement with Vieux Fort-based Paradise Water and is counting on the continued support of the corporate community and the Saint Lucian public on his journey towards London 2012.