The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LONDON, England — From the training camp in Crawley to the games village, hurdler Ivanique Kemp said she wouldn’t change anything she has experienced so far in her history-making debut at the 2012 Olympic Games.

“It has been pretty good so far. I’ve met a lot of people. The people in Crawley were pretty nice. They were very accommodating,” she said. “Pretty much anything you wanted, they provided it for you. They really made the experience here so far a good one.

“Once we got into the games village, it was like you were right at home. The Bahamas Olympic Committee has done a good job in putting everything together and making sure that we are all comfortable. I’m really enjoying my time here.”

Coming into her first major senior international meet, Kemp said she really didn’t have any expectations, but was willing to keep an open mind to her environment.

“So far it has been pretty good,” she said.

Kemp said when the team went to the official welcome ceremony in the games village she started to feel the thrill of what it means to be an Olympian. But she said that once she participated in the opening ceremonies, she knew that this was where she was supposed to be.

“After all of that, I’m just waiting to get started with my competition,” she said.

Kemp, the first Bahamian female hurdler (high or low) to qualify to compete in either the IAAF World Championships or the Olympics, will compete in the heats of the Women’s 100 Hurdles on Monday. If she advances, both the semifinal and final will take place on Tuesday.

“I didn’t really come here with any expectations,” she said.

“But I hope to actually PR (do personal best) at this meet and make a lot of contacts while I’m here because I actually want to go pro (professional) when I’m done with college,” said the University of Arkansas accounting major.

“For the most part, I just want to meet as many people and enjoy the experience all around.”

Even though she hasn’t reached the status where she’s getting paid to compete, Kemp said she feels as if she’s in the same category of those athletes because they are all competing at the same level at the games.

“We all qualified to get here, so I don’t really think that any athlete here is better than me,” she said.

Having seen a number of the big names on television, Kemp said she has not been one to get all hyped up about any of the athletes, even though she met a number of them at the opening ceremonies and in the cafeteria.

“I’m here to compete and that is where my focus is,” she said.