Cayman sprinter upbeat, looking to next Olympics

(CNS): Competing in his first Olympic Games, 18-year-old Davonte Howell didn’t qualify for the Semifinals of the Men’s 100m on Saturday, but he’s already looking ahead to the next Olympics. “I know exactly what I need to fix,” the Cayman Islands sprinter said after his heat. “It’s my first Games, and it definitely won’t be my last.”

In the Preliminary Round, Howell won the second heat with a time of 10.31 seconds and by finishing first, he automatically qualified for Round 1. Although he didn’t advance to the Semifinals, he shaved seven-tenths of a second off his Preliminary Round time, finishing in 10.24 seconds. He was sixth in his heat and had the 39th-best time of the 69 athletes competing in Round 1.

“My start this round left a lot to be desired,” Howell said. “It’s a bit inconsistent because last round it was way better. But that’s what we do: we live and we learn. There’s a lot more to improve, and I’m glad that there’s improvement.”

Howell’s Olympic debut followed his first collegiate season at the University of Tennessee, where he helped the 4x100m relay team qualify for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

“I’m only 18, and I didn’t think people expected me to come out here and win the Olympic Games,” he said. “So, it’s not really a big hit on my confidence or… anything that I’m sad about. I’m glad that I made it this far this season. It has been a long season.”

Commenting on the opportunity to represent the Cayman Islands at Paris 2024, he said, “It feels great, honestly, because that’s been one of my biggest dreams… to have the Cayman Islands behind me while I run,” he said. “So, being able to put on this shirt with the flag on it and represent the Cayman Islands on the biggest stage there is, I’m really happy.”

Information and quotes supplied by CIOC Press Attaché Kevin Morales.

Watch Howell run in the preliminary race below: