The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

She was off to a fast start and heading for her debut at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August. However, women’s 100 metre hurdles national record holder Devynne Charlton will have to watch the rest of the track and field season on the sidelines after she suffered an injury.

While she recuperates from the injury, Charlton picked up a prestigious award on Sunday night when she was awarded the dual Purdue University’s Female Individual Performance and the Female Performance of the Year. Also during what they call the fourth annual Golden Pete Awards show, her head coach, Bahamian Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene, was named the Coach of the Year.

“It feels good to be rewarded and to see my team recognised after all the hard work we put in leading up to the season,” Charlton told The Tribune. “Compared to other rewards I’ve received, these stand among the highest. I was nominated with a few other amazing and talented athletes at Purdue. Just to be nominated within the same category as them is an honour.”

Greene, who is assisted by another Bahamian, Norbert Elliott, said Charlton deserves the accolades that she received.

“We took a lot of pride in the selection of the awards,” he said. “When you are honoured by your own peers, it’s always a good thing. It’s a good feeling for our programme to recognise the quality of the work that Devynne has done and how she has helped me to achieve the success that I’ve gotten, is so special.”

Charlton, the 20-year-old junior who is studying biological sciences with a goal of marine biology, said having fellow athletes and athletic faculty vote for the award means a lot because now the track and field programme is being recognised throughout the entire athletic department.

Her mother, Laura Charlton, probably her biggest fan, said her and her husband, coach Dave Charlton, are thrilled by their daughter’s latest achievement. “She really works hard and she’s focused,” said Laura Charlton. “We’re just looking for bigger things to come from her once she gets back off her injury. We hope that she will bounce back better and stronger.”

Charlton, who holds just about every Purdue University indoor and outdoor high hurdles and 100m records, said she’s really disappointed that she has to sit out the rest of the season and eventually forfeit her debut at the Olympics in Rio in August.

“My first thought after being told I would have to sit out the outdoor season was that I let my team down,” she said. “Coming off a runner up title at indoor conference, we were in a good position to win outdoor and I wanted to be a part of that.

“Not practicing everyday and travelling every weekend gives me more time and allows me to focus more on school. I still show up at practices when I can to support the team.”

Greene said it will be at least another eight weeks for Charlton to complete her recovery process, which will definitely force her to skip the remainder of the season.

“We decided to put a wrap on it and come back to the drawing board next year,” he said. “She’s pretty young and she has an intestinal fortitude that no one can coach. It comes from deep within. Norbert and myself refer to her as a Warrior. She’s a Warrior. She’s like a quiet assassin. When she gets ready to go, it’s like wow.”

Charlton assured the public that as soon as she’s given the clearance by the doctor, she will begin her rehab for her return to action as she starts the road to the 2017 season.

In the meantime, she said not having to go through the vigorous routine of training and competing just about every weekend, she can concentrate a little more on her academics.