Local athlete still strong-minded despite Olympic setback

Eden Park’s student-athlete Cheswill Johnson, who qualified to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, remains undeterred on reaching his dream despite having experienced setbacks.

The passionate 23-year-old sportsman’s journey was cut short after he suffered an injury to his ankle, which left him with no choice but to come back home.

He was fervent on doing well and hoisting his neighbourhood’s and country’s flag high after qualifying to compete among the best athletes. However, things took a wrong turn.

Deciding to leave the Tokyo Olympics, according to Johnson, was the most difficult decision that he had to make.

Local applauds Eden Park’s athlete for qualifying for Olympics

“I arrived at the Olympics, and it took some time to adjust to the environment because humidity levels were different. Everything was going well until I got hurt and injured my ankle. At practice, I was doing well. It was the first time I felt nervous about competition,” he said.

He told the RECORD that he got injured three days before the actual qualifying rounds for the long jump.

“I was doing my run-ups and then on the last run-up that I had to do, I jumped off the board and hurt my ankle.

It’s an injury I had months before competing in the Olympics. I went for rehabilitation and sorted everything out, thinking that I was fine because I had fully healed,” said Johnson.

He said he had to quit the Olympics because if he made the third jump he would have badly hurt his ankle and be out of the sport for a year or so.

Johnson reiterated that it was a way of saving his career.

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