Cayman track and field hero Ronald Forbes is slated to return home on Wednesday, 7 September.
The North Side native is expected to be on-island for a number of weeks for rest and rehabilitation. The hurdler states one of his objectives here is to reach out to the residents of Cayman Brac.
“My plans for the rest of the year are to come home early and rest a bit,” Forbes said. “Community work is something which I love and giving back to the folks who look up to me and for me.
“I really want to go to the Brac for once and speak to the kids and the Island. It’s a shame to say but I’ve never been there. I’ll probably resume training in mid-October or when I am ordered to by my coach and strength trainer.
“I’m healthy; something that I always pray to be. Besides a slight Achilles tendon issue on my left foot I am healthy. My body just needs some complete rest for about five to six weeks to allow any little aches and pains, which are common, to subside and heal.”
Forbes, 26, is coming off a solid showing in Daegu, South Korea at the International Association of Athletics Federation World Championships. He would make it to the semi-finals of the mens 110m hurdles placing sixth and missing out on a finals berth by three spots. He would post a personal best time of 13.54 seconds at the meet. Forbes states it was a momentous occasion.
“I feel really great about the meet in Daegu. Coming into the meet I knew the field was going to be tough and I would have to give it my all and nothing less. Personally, finishing in the semi-finals was a mixed emotion of being satisfied and not satisfied. I guess that’s what keeps me going. I know I have what it takes to reach the finals and possibly be on the podium but it just never happened.
“I am still very thankful and grateful that I finished at the eleventh spot overall, starting from a field of 33 hurdlers from all over the world on day one. I am healthy and very excited for what next year has to offer in track and field.”
Among the hurdlers that would by-pass Forbes into the finals were Dayron Robles of Cuba and China’s Liu Xiang. Both were part of a controversial 110m hurdles finals where Robles was stripped of the gold medal due to inadvertent contact with Xiang. The result is that American Jason Richardson would take the gold with Xiang nabbing the silver and Britain’s Andy Turner earning bronze.
Forbes states that instance is a tough one but not uncommon to his discipline.
“My thoughts on Robles is it was a very tough ruling to see it happen but in the end it doesn’t take away from the ability of what he can do over those hurdles and it will only add to the hype of a rematch in London 2012, same as the 100m with Usain Bolt.
“It was quite an unfortunate set of circumstances that happened in that race, which most people think was intentional.
“It happens all the time in hurdles, believe it or not, even to me several times. But due to the significance of this meet and to the magnitude of which it happened, a hard and tough ruling had to be applied to that instance.”
Jamaican legend Bolt played a big part in the meet as well. After surrendering a possible gold medal in the 100m due to a false start, he would rebound to claim the 200m and 4x100m gold. In both cases Bolt would make history with his 200m time of 19.40s being the third fastest of his career and the 4x100m time of 37.04s being a new world record.
Forbes states he is not surprised that Bolt rebounded from his 100m debacle.
“I don’t think anyone saw that coming. I know him and his country must have felt a bit down at first but it happens. Track is a blend of the good times and bad. People better keep their eyes out for the London Olympics, I have a feeling it’s going to be a redeeming one.”
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