Decorated 400-meter sprinter and former Olympic gold medalist Kirani James touched down at Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados on Thursday, gearing up for his appearance at this weekend’s Grand Prix hosted at the iconic Usain Bolt Complex. In an exclusive interview with Barbados TODAY shortly after clearing customs, the Grenadian track star opened up about his excitement for the competition and his long-game training plans ahead of the 2024 athletic season.
For Caribbean-born athletes, opportunities to compete in high-profile regional events remain a rare commodity, James explained. That scarcity makes every quality domestic meet an occasion not to be missed. “Yeah, it’s very exciting. As Caribbean athletes we don’t have a lot of opportunities to compete in the region, so when there’s an opportunity that is substantial, you want to make sure that everything is conducive for you to compete here. I’m glad that this year everything worked out for me specifically to be here and I’m very excited to come in and compete,” he shared.
The Barbados Grand Prix marks only James’ second competitive outing of the current season, meaning the veteran runner is still honing his form and ironing out small kinks in his technique as he builds momentum for the months ahead. “This will be my second meet of the year so form-wise I’m still working to see where I’m at and still working out some things. Just kind of really trying to build for the rest of the season,” he said.
At 33 years old, James boasts a legendary career that includes a 400m world championship title in 2011 and an Olympic gold medal from the 2012 London Games. Even at the pinnacle of the sport, the veteran athlete says his motivation to compete remains rooted in personal ambition and pride for his home nation. “Just personal goals and just continuing to represent my country, my family and the people that are important to me. I’m just trying to keep making them proud.”
James added that the intrinsic joy of competitive sport is what keeps him lacing up his spikes year after year. “Sport is so ingrained in us as humans that when it invokes a special feeling on both sides of it, then we want to keep that going for as long as you possibly can,” he explained. All eyes will now turn to the Usain Bolt Complex this Saturday as James takes to the track alongside other top regional and international athletes.