by Stuart Weir
Javianne Oliver takes the 60m in the Copernicus Cup, photo via BBC by Stuart Weir
Javianne Oliver, 2021 Copernicus Cup, 60m WL, photo by Copenicus Cup
This is a piece on Javianne Oliver, the top sprinter, who took the WL in the 60m, with a 7.08. Stuart Weir did this piece. Please enjoy!
Veni, vidi, vici
Julius Caesar’s three-word summary of his victory at Pontus in 46 BC – roughly translated “I came, I saw, I conquered” roughly sums up Javianne Oliver’s two weeks in Europe in February. Four meets, eight races, eight wins seems a good return. To start with Javianne was just thankful to be running: “I was basically taking a chance because we didn’t have an outdoor season last year. So I felt that I had missed out on a lot of races and a lot of running. So, after talking to my coach and agent we decided that, if we felt it was safe and if we could find a way for me to get over there, we should do it. So basically, it was just to get back running as there are so few meets in America at the moment that it’s really hard to get into them”.
Javianne Oliver, Lieven, photo by Meeting Lieven
As far as the wins in Metz, Liévin, Val-de-Reuil in France and in ToruÅ„ in Poland went – two 7.10s and a 7.08 – she said: “I was pleased. This was my first indoor tour in Europe. That is a big mental thing for me because I haven’t been away from home for that long – overseas and in a pandemic! The races came together. I was happy with the times 7.10 in the first meet in Metz was my fastest season opener so I can’t complain”.
A lot of people were disappointed that Dina Asher-Smith ended her indoor season after two races meaning that the clash with Javianne scheduled in Liévin, did not happen. “I agree, Javianne told me. “I think a lot of people were anticipating that race”.
Javianne Oliver, Meeting Lieven, photo via BBC by Stuart Weir
While Javianne came and conquered, she did not really “see” much in Europe. COVID restrictions meant that it was challenging environment. “Behind the scenes it wasn’t as easy as running, winning and going home two weeks later!”, she explained. “It wasn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be. Running twice in three days with travel in between did a lot to my body. A lot of the time I had to do my own massages in my room, with my elbow, a cross ball or anything I could find. I did some icing in my room. The hotels were fine but in Europe it is common not to have a bathtub in the room which meant that there was no soaking in hot or cold water. I was trying to make my own ice bath with bags of ice and moving them around my body – trying to make it work. I’m not saying it was terrible but it was tedious having to take care of myself to make sure I was ready for the next race which was sometimes happening in 48 hours”.
Even socializing was limited: “Some of the athletes who were in France had already quarantined together in Lievin so we kind of sat around together but mostly we were separated. I did have a roommate, my training partner, Dez Bryant, but I wasn’t around anyone that I haven’t been with beforehand. Personally, I’m quite introverted so it wasn’t a big deal for me but I know for other people it might have been”.
Javianne Oliver, Meeting Lieven, photo via BBC by Stuart Weir
By finishing second in the US 2020 Indoor Trials, Javianne had qualified for the 2020 World Indoors but, of course, the event was first postponed to 2021 and then cancelled. However, as winner of the World Indoor Series she already has a wild-card for Belgrade 2022.
In part 2, we find out about how Javianne started running and got to where she is.
