This Week We Feature Young Professional Karene K. R. King
She said he was once “slow”, but Karene K. R. King is now a professional athlete and Olympic hopeful, who recently returned from her first tour of Europe. For Karene, she was lucky to have many persons who believed in her and encouraged her, but most importantly, Karene has matured and found the belief in her own self that she can become an accomplished athlete on the world stage.
Karene’s main discipline is the 200m but she also runs the 100m.
Our young professional started running track at the age of eight (8) while a student of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School. Her first coach was the popular Ms Ileta Potter, who is now based in the US Virgin Islands. “It was just a regular PE class and that led to going out there and practising in the afternoons.”
After the then BVI High School, Karene attended Central Arizona College in the United States where she received her Associate’s Degree in General Studies before moving on to Portland State University in Oregon where she attained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and Social Science.
“I want to be counsellor but I don’t want to be a desk worker,” Karene shared, noting that she sees herself working with children aged 12 through 21 when her track career is over.
Just a few years ago, Karene would have never envisaged herself competing against some of the world’ best athletes. “I don’t think I believed in myself as much as my coach Mr Willis Todman believed in me,” adding that she started to believe in herself when she started attending Portland State University.
“In 2010 or so I realised that it was something I could get very good at. It was like I could do this if I put in the work, because before I was putting in the work but I was not very serious to be honest. It was just about going to practice because I had to go, and then in 2010 I really started to believe in myself, I started to enjoy track more and began to work harder.”
Rio Olympics hopeful
Being an Olympian is a dream for just about every track athlete and for Karene it is a dream that she has come close to realising before.
In 2012 she fell short of qualifying for the London Olympics by a hairline as she had run the qualifying standard but was denied a place as the race was deemed to be wind assisted by a fraction above the international standards.
“That crushed me so much but in 2013 it was World's year and it encouraged me to work harder.” She qualified late for the IAAF World Championships. “I qualified because I was patient and I did not give up.”
So far Karene has not hit the qualifying time for Rio 2016 but “I always look at 2013 and I say it is going to happen...so I am still pushing and still believing that I could hit the qualifier for the 200m and also run the 4x100m relay.”
What will be working in Karene’s favour is that she will be making a push for the qualifying time at the OECS Track and Field Championships to be held right here in the Virgin Islands next month and can count on the home support to give her that extra push.
“It should be a great meet. It’s home based, I know the track, what to expect and so the encouragement from the crowd, my coaches, and peers will be a lot of help and I am looking forward to doing great things at that meet.”
Memorable moments
Still young in her promising athletic career, Karene already has some memorable moments that also serve to inspire her. One of those is in 2013 when she qualified for the IAAF World Championships in Russia; also finishing off her year at Portland State University as a 3-time Gold Member, having won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m; and graduating from college.
Athletics, she says, has made her a disciplined person. “From learning to be on time at practice, learning to work with others and peers and not wanting things your way. It has made me an all rounder. I think it has made me disciplined in every aspect of my life.”
Positive influence
As for persons who influence her, Karene said those include top Virgin Islands athletes Ashley N. Kelly, Chantel E. Malone, and Tahesia G. Harrigan, however, she had nothing but praise for her past coach Ronnie Harrison and present coach Willis Todman, who she said believes in her all the time.
“When I was really slow coach Todman would say things like I believe you can run 11.4. At my age then I never believed it but he saw things in me that I never saw so he is my main supporter in track and field.”
Admin Assistant
In fact, karene’s secondary job at the moment is as an Administrative Assistant at Ace Property Development Ltd, a business owned by her coach. “It works hand in hand for me because working and being a fulltime athlete is one of the hardest things you can ever do. With the work I am doing I am able to get time off. I usually practice for four hours from 2pm and I travel all the time.”
Karene said at first the job was just about having something for her to do and make her financially stable, however, she has learned a lot and has developed quite an interest in architecture and has also learned some accounting skills.
Ambassador
Being an athlete on the world stage makes one an automatic ambassador for their country. For Karene it is an extremely proud responsibility which she enjoys immensely. “I love when people ask where I am from because I am always excited to tell them about where I am from. I know for a fact my country is by far the best. It helps us as athletes to promote our country not just by performing on the track but by being able to tell people about our country.”
Outside of running, karene loves to eat. He favourite food is a tossup between chicken pelau and chicken wings. “I love to cook,” she said, adding that she calls herself a Googler! “I am always Googling something.”
Advice to youth
Karene firstly advises everyone to ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God and everything else will be added on to you’.
“My second advice I had to give it to myself and that is to do what makes you happy. I feel like a lot of people are doing what is going to please mom or dad, coach or pastor. Do what makes you feel happy. Enjoy what you are doing and live an honest and healthy life.”
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