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0Article by Andrew Pirie
ATFS Statistician
ATFS Statistician / Former PSC Consultant and Liason for the Fil-Heritage Athletes
Jessica Lyn Barnard has formally retired from the Sport of Athletics. The 27-year old’s
Confirmation via email and through a Facebook announcement on June 9. Pinoyathletics.info
thanks Jess for her ongoing years of sacrifice to represent the country and wishes her all the
best luck in her future.
What a privilege. What a journey. What incredible moments + relationships this
sport has given me. I’ve recently made the decision to retire from track and field.
While it took some time to come to that decision, I walk away from it feeling
lighter… and happy. I look forward to finding the joy in running all over again.
And joy in new things.
Oiselle + Team LittleWing - I’ll never have the words. Thank you for believing in
me always.
Jess posted on Facebook
Barnard had been sidelined the whole of 2017 with Achilles issues. This had been a hard
decision for Jess who was looking like a top contender to finally take the SEA Games title in
the Women’s 3000m Steeple Chase in Kuala Lumpur,
Jess has decided to focus full time on her job at Oiselle.
Back in 2013 when I was working for the Philippines Sports Commission we had reserved 3
expansion slots in the SEA Games line up for Fil-Foreign athletes. 1 Spot obviously and
easily went to Eric Cray another athlete I had assisted. Pole Vaulter Caleb Monticalvo was
unable to get his Filipino Passport no matter what means we exhausted. Tyler Ruiz was
invited to the Philippines and with the assistance of the PSC was able to secure a Filipino
Passport however it was a lengthy process and took a few months. Tyler and the other athlete
training with American strength and conditioning coach and PSC Consultant Coach Ryan
Flaherty was sprinter Bryan Jay Mercado.
However, due to Passport issues and school commitments, Mercado was also not able to join
leaving one spot clear. I was instructed by PSC Management to quickly find a suitable
replacement for Mercado.
And that is how ‘Everybody’s Little Sister’ Jessica Barnard was brought in. A mutual friend
Jeffrey Paneda who was a previous Fil-Heritage Middle Distance runner endorsed Jessica
Lyn Barnard to me. In 2012 Barnard had run 10 min 22. Well under the then National record
of 11.10 of Jessa Mangsat of Baguio.
With that in mind, I contacted Ms. Barnard and we started the process of preparing a passport
and getting her papers ready for SEA Games. Fortunately, Jessica was easy to get a passport
as she was born in the Philippines. This was the first time for her to compete overseas, but
she quickly made friends with some of the female athletes in the team.
In Myanmar SEA Games Jess ran 11:04 a new national record and took bronze in the steeples
the first ever medal in this event for the Philippines.
Jess was injured for nearly all of 2014, but she attended the National Open in Laguna in 2015
running a disappointing 11m21. At that point, I had opted not to endorse her selection for
SEA Games, as I believed she could challenge herself and run faster and also to show I wasn’t
giving an athlete I was assisting with the PSC preferential treatment. Jess responded to his
challenge with two new nationals records first 10.49 and then 10.41. I then issued a
successful appeal letter to PATAFA President Philip Juico who very reasonably reinstated
Jess.
At the 2015 SEA Games Jess, with a burst of speed over 600m finished again with a well-
fought bronze and a new national record of 10:36 in Singapore.
In 2016 Jess added the Philippine 800m Record with a 2.06 run breaking the 31-year-old
record of Marietta T. Magno which had stood since 1985. She also took the Indoor record in
800 1500m, and again broke her steeple record and lifetime PB from 2012 with a time of
10.20. The 1500 outdoor record she was not able to get and remains at 4m24.
Things were looking good for 2017 with a new training arrangement in Oregon but
unfortunately, ankle issues sidelined plans.
20th April 2015
Philip Ella Juico
President
Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association
Dear Dr. Juico,
I am writing in regards for consideration of the following athletes in the SEA Games lineup.
- Kyla Richardson
- Jessica Lyn Barnard
Firstly I would like to state that 34 slots have ended up as not being enough slots
for Athletics. It was very generous of the taskforce to increase our participation
from 24 to 34 slots from 2013 SEA Games. Athletics is a high medal sport in
which the POC/PSC will be relying on heavily for its total medal count. This
makes sense because there are 46 events in total in men’s and women’s in which
gold, silver and bronze medals are up for grabs. We both know that Athletics is
going to deliver somewhere from 8-12 Gold Medals in total in 2015.
As I know you and I are going to be around for a while we should also look at our
campaign for 2017. Athletes who are given the opportunity to salvage silver and
bronze medals in 2015 will be potential gold mines for the future of
Philippine Track and Field
Looking at the outline of this team you have 25 athletes who have hit the bronze
mark of 2013 who are lined up for SEA Games. And nine athletes who were close
and haven’t quite hit the bronze mark of 2013.
There are however two athletes who have hit the SEA Games standard this
weekend who I am hoping for your kind consideration and aide on this matter if
possible with data at your disposal in the best way to defend these athletes late
inclusion for the 2015 SEA Games.
Kyla Richardson
I want to outline and reiterate that we have a very strong chance in the women’s
4x100m relay as four of our runners are now running under 12 seconds. It’s
actually been a very successful year for women’s sprints with a 5th runner below
12 seconds but unavailable for SEA Games.
- Princess Joy Griffey has ran 11.62 in the qualifying period and 11.71 in 2015
- Kayla Richardson has ran 11.78 in the qualifying period and 12.03 in 2015
- Kyla Richardson has ran 11.83 in 2015
- Jenny Rosales has ran 11.90 in qualifying period (but is unavailable for the SEA Games)
- Katherine Khay Santos has ran 11.97 in 2015
While Griffey, Kayla and Santos are lined up for individual events the 100, 200
and Long Jump for Kath. Kyla is not seeded in an individual event. However her
weekend performance of 11.83, I had anticipated she would run 11.80 before SEA
Games which is why I had endorsed her inclusion is a new personal best from her
previous mark of 11.93 showing considerable improvement.
The 11.83 is under the SEA Games Silver medal mark of 11.85 in 2013, but
however as there are two athletes ahead of her she can’t run the individual as two
per event hence has definitely earn’t a relay spot.
As of now Princess Joy Griffey was in Los Angeles training with the Richardson’s
and with one other runner (who is not going to the SEA Games, Kath will go
instead) will run a 4×100 to tune up for the SEA Games in Los Angeles. They are
also prepared to come here before the SEA Games to acclimatize and practice
passing changes. As Mr Jeffrey Richardson will be accompanying his daughters to
SEA Games and ¾ of the relay team is training with him he would be looking after
the team.
Further data regarding our SEA Rivals which I have studied thoroughly can be
provided to you
Jessica Lyn Barnard
Despite not having a good performance at the national open. Jess Barnard had a
significant improvement last weekend clocking 10:41.93 a new national record
and just outside her 2012 PB of 10:22. Jessica under pressure performed much
better than she has at the National Open and last SEA Games were she can won
the bronze. I can now safely say with that recent performance she is within range
of a medal chance at SEA Games. Jessica is ranked 4th in SEA during the
qualifying period but a recent improvement in such a short period time shows she
can perform well when she needs to. She is now closing in on her all time personal
best.
Yours Sincerely
Andrew Pirie
ATFS Statistician
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