He has been described as “Bermuda’s Bolt”.
Jeneko Place finds himself ranked in the top 10 in the world amongst junior sprinters.
He has the potential to be the greatest sprinter Bermuda has ever produced so it’s understandble that track and field officials would like to see him give up motorcycle racing, where one injury could wreck a promising career before it even really started.
Place and Xavier James headed off to Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada for the World Junior Track and Field Championships on Monday.
James will be going to coach his sprint prodigy in the 200 metres.
Place is aiming for a top eight performance at the Championships.
“I’m just hoping to make finals as I’m running out of my age group.”
Place, 16, will be facing stiffer competition as he will line up against guys who are in the under-20 age category
“This is going to be a big challenge as some of them are running 20.23, 20.25 and I’m running 21.0.”
He will run the heats on Thursday in hope of making Friday’s final.
He said running against the tougher competition, he hopes to lower his personal best.
Place added it will be good too as some of these competitors will also be at the World Youth Olympics in August.
Not worried
The world-class talented sprinter isn’t worried about causing a career-ending injury in his other sport — motorcycle racing.
“I’m not worried. I don’t ride hard enough to hurt myself. I just ride to have fun so I don’t really push it to hurt myself.”
Place said if asked to give up motorcycle racing by track officials, he wouldn’t.
His coach James has urged him strongly to give up the sport.
Donna Watson, president of the Bermuda Track and Field Association, said: “Any athlete of Jeneko’s calibre in doing another sport, especially the motorcycle events he’s in, there could be serious injuries.
“Until I had read Xavier’s article I had thought he had stopped, but he hasn’t. That’s a major concern because Jeneko is of world-class quality — that’s for sure. My hope would be that he would focus on just track and field.
She said Jeneko “could be seriously injured” racing motorcycles “and that could put a halt to his track career.
“I know he is very focused in his track events and he puts in the work. I can understand when you are training at the level he is, you need a release. Maybe he’s using this as a release, but our concern is he doesn’t get injured.
“Maybe he looks at it as a hobby, but it’s a very dangerous hobby.
“One bang and he could be out forever, he could be out for the year. Jeneko has so much in front of him.
“The world is his oyster right now. People in the Caribbean are already amazed with him and once he goes to world juniors and goes to youth Olympics, the world is going to see Bermuda has a phenomenon.
