The balancing act: Tianna Springer’s biggest challenge yet

Two years ago, Tianna Springer announced herself on the world stage with a come-from-behind win at the CARIFTA Games and the rest was history.
Now, commonly referred to as Guyana’s Golden girl, the 17-year-old is about to embark on another CARIFTA journey, but this one holds a special challenge.

After competing at CARIFTA over the Easter weekend, Springer will turn her attention to the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Exams in May.
Springer said her preparations for the Games were going well thus far.
“Preparations are going good. I’m attending the physio so I could work on my hamstrings and all the other parts that’ve giving me a little ache on your body but it’s going good. I’m just trying to run the race how I feel comfortable running the race. I mean, I can’t stay in my comfort zone all the time, but the pull I need from CARIFTA is going to play out with the training I’m getting. So, I’m not really focusing on any specific part,” Springer said of her training and focus areas.

With the athletics season at its start, Springer has already set out some goals for the year emphasising on the need to trust her coach and training.
She expressed, “It’s not easy, I try to focus on me, but I know what I want to achieve, so, I’m not going to doubt my Coach, because he brought me this far, Coach Mark Scott. So, I’m going to just trust in his training and hopefully, at CARIFTA this year I’ll get my third gold medal.”
“Every international meet I get to go on, I just want to remain that Golden Girl what everybody is thinking about me right now. So, at least go out there and perform.”
When it comes to her CSEC exams, Springer is as confident in her academic pursuits as she is on the track.
The CARIFTA U20 400m champion shared with Guyana Times Sport, “I think it’s going pretty good, even though some afternoons I don’t get to train because of lessons and stuff. I try to push in work after lessons with Coach Anson. So, he’s kind of balancing with my team, but I would say going pretty good.”
A confident Springer continued about the upcoming exams, “Because I have a lot of people pushing me, extra lessons and so, I’m pretty sure I’m going to come out with a good result.”

Further down the line, the teenage quarter-mile ace also hopes to make waves when she gets to the University of Georgia for a full-ride scholarship later this year.
The teenager explained her decision to head to Georgia, “Georgia, the school is just nice, everybody is so welcoming, I felt more comfortable there. I know it’s a 400 school, a lot of 400 athletes come out of it, so that’s why I’m leaning towards that. I had some good reviews; Arinze Chance, he advised me about the school.
“It has been my dream school for a while now, so I just look into that school more. Did my research, so I could know exactly what I’m getting myself into. That’s what helped make my decision.
“I just want to go over there and make a name for myself in America. It have other girls that are way faster than me, but it will give me the pull to get the timings I want, which is to be like sub-50. I know I’m going to achieve that, probably like two years from now, but I believe in myself, that’s the main point,” the Guyanese track star declared.
It goes without saying that Springer is focused on making the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and she believes she’s not too far off.
“It would mean a lot because I’ve been looking forward to that moment, since I was a little girl. So, meeting there alone is a big accomplishment. I know I’m going to make it, because I don’t think I’m that far from the timings and my mindset, my dedication going towards it is good enough,” the LA 2028 hopeful said assuredly.
The CARIFTA Games will run from April 19-21 in Trinidad and Tobago.