by Stuart Weir
One of the most amazing things about Stuart Weir, and there are many amazing things, is that he does these incrediblyy, heartfelt features on British athletes all during their careers, and then, does a wonderful piece upon their retirement. Shara Proctor is such an athlete, someone who has made us ooh and ahh at her jumps and her battles in the long jump wars. We will miss her.
Shara Proctor retires
British long jump record holder, Shara Proctor recently announced her retirement at the age of 33 after a career that included medals at World, European, and Commonwealth Games and a sixth place at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
She won bronze medals at the World Indoors in Istanbul in 2012, and at the European Championships in Berlin and the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, both in 2018, as well as a fourth and two fifths in the world championships. She also recorded five Diamond League meeting victories over the years. She has a best of 13.88m in the triple jump and has represented GB in the European Teams Championship in triple.
Her career highlight was taking silver at the at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing with a British record of 7.07m. That was a remarkable achievement given that she had been on crutches for four weeks in 2014. She summed up her achievement in Beijing like this: “I’m numb right now, I don’t know what to feel, I am speechless. But I’m happy most of all. It’s my fifth champs and I finally did it – I got on the podium. It’s a silver medal but I still feel like a winner. It’s been a long ride. I was on crutches last year at this time, I had to learn to walk and to learn to run and today I just put it all together and finally executed. I knew I was behind at that point so I had to train really hard, blood, sweat, and tears like they always say. It was a long road”.
I remember asking her if it was frustrating to jump 7.07m and then find herself in a competition where the top three all passed the seven-meter barrier with Tianna Bartoletta winning with her last jump. She replied: “Not at all. A lot of people ask that question but I see it the opposite way. I had a rough year in 2014 so I was very happy to jump 7 metres and come away with a medal. I really wanted to be on the podium and I wanted to jump 7 metres – so I got what I wanted. I achieved my two goals. It wasn’t a gold, obviously, but it was a medal and I was happy with that. That may seem strange but athletes compete for results, for medals so those were my goals, I achieved them and I was happy”.
Growing up in Anguilla, she played soccer, making the national team, as well as doing track. She switched her allegiance to Britain after competing for Anguilla in the 2007 World Championships. She explains: “I wanted to compete at the Olympic level. Anguilla does not have an Olympic Committee. So for me to be able to compete at the Olympics it would be necessary for me to switch to a country that had an Olympic Committee. And Great Britain was the best option because Anguilla is a British colony and Anguillans have British passports”.
Competing at the London 2012 Olympics felt like fulfilling the dream: “It was surreal for me. It was even more special to be at the Olympics on home turf. Regardless of my results, I was just grateful for the experience and opportunity. I come from a very small island and not many people experience those things. So I was just grateful”.
Faith has always been important to Shara: “I’ve always believed in God. I grew up believing, thanking God, praying, and counting your blessings at all times. I’ve always been faithful. I think it helps a lot in sports because sometimes when you are down, you have no one to talk to. God is the one to talk to – to help you through your trying time. And when you experience triumphs, he’s the one you should thank”.
So, why now to pull down the curtain: “This is a decision I have been thinking through for some time, and it is one I am blessed to feel truly happy and content with. As an athlete, you know when you feel the drive to continue and when it becomes harder. I have had the feeling since late 2019 and it has continued until last June when I decided to take some time off.
“Although I returned and trained through the winter until March, I am happy now to finish. It is the perfect decision and time for me now. I know it is right because I am at peace and I can happily watch a track meet and enjoy it, and not feel frustrated or sad! I am so very happy to have represented Great Britain. In becoming part of the team I found family, and friends to compete with, train with… have breakfast with at championships! There has always been great camaraderie and the way they came together, I will always cherish those times. I am thankful to my family for their endless support and sticking by my side, it has been an up and down journey, as well as thanks to my coaches and training partners.”
She will be missed.
