A Conversation with Kirani James- Nutmeg Nation & Diva Tonight EXCLUSIVE

Interview with the one and only Kirani James from Grenada. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, Silver Medalist and Bronze Medalist.  He is Grenada's first Olympic Winner and the 400M CHAMPION! I get the pleasure of speaking to Kirani James via Zoom to talk about his career to grateness and why he's so humble. 

Diva Tonight will be back soon, in the meantime please join me for an episode of Nutmeg Nation. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Hi, I'm Carleen, and this is Nut Meg Nation. I have with me the one and only Karani James. Hi, Karani.

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Hi, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 0:15

I'm good. I'm good. A fellow Grenadian, you know, you grew up in Grenada, and you are the first Olympic athlete to win a gold medal for Grenada. You put us on the map. It's amazing all your achievements, everything that you've attained thus far. So tell me, tell for those who don't know about you and your upbringing, um, what was it like growing up in Grenada in Guav? Like what was it like?

SPEAKER_00 0:48

First of all, uh, let me just say, how long have we been scheduled this interview now for?

SPEAKER_01 0:54

It's been um, you were scheduled last time. So it's been, it's it's been a process. It's been a while. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:01

It's been a while from the initial message to you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

So yeah, I'm just so happy that we're here now and we're making it happen. It's it took us a while, but they they say the journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step. So I started, I sent you an email. I'm like, I wonder if he got that email. And then I sent you another email. Then you finally got back to me. You have no idea. I was so excited. I told my friend, I'm like, oh my gosh, I can't believe he got back to me. I didn't even think that it would happen, you know.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

So But I'm glad, I'm glad it could happen. Uh so growing up, yeah, I grew up in town in Grenada called Guav. That's where I grew up, spent most of my life.

SPEAKER_04 1:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Up there. Uh grew up with two older brothers, a younger sister with our mother uh at that time. And uh primary school, I went to St. John's Anglican Primary School. That's where I went. And secondary school, I went to Grenada Boys Secondary School. I was actually, I think I was actually supposed to go to St. Rose, which is in which is in Guave too. But then you know, things happened and I ended up in, well, not ended up, but you know, um, I got transferred into G VSS. So a lot of a lot of good things. But growing up here, like if you know, like growing up in Guav is is a fishing town. So you know, that's like one of the main industries in Guava. You know, fishing, and you grow up, if you grew up close to the bay or the beach, then that's something you see every day. You see fishermen coming in from the ocean with the fish, fish market was right there, all that. So that was kind of just uh a normal thing growing up, seeing a lot of the fishermen um going, like even like with with the nets, casting nets and all that, like that was normal. You had a couple of times, you know, I was there, I was pulling my net too, helping. So you know, all of that was was was really kind of you know, just like I said, growing up it was normal doing these things and and having those experiences. So these are things that I always cherish in my memory and I'll never never forget it, never forget you know, that area that I grew up in. And you know, like I said, every time I try to do something positive, whether it's on the track or off the track, you know, that's always on my mind. So um, but yeah, but nothing too, you know, crazy or anything, just kind of normal upbringing, but just growing up in that kind of industry was was really interesting to me looking back at it.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

I grew up in in granite, and so we're in different parts of uh Bernada, you know?

SPEAKER_00 3:44

Yeah, that's totally different. Totally different.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

I'm a city girl and you're the country boy, you know.

SPEAKER_00 3:51

Yeah, that's what that's what they say, that's what they call it.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

You know what? It's interesting. You you talk about the fishing, and you know, um now they have Fish Friday, and I've been before, and it's a big deal, you know. You go up on Friday and you try different kinds of fish. So hearing you mention the fishermen coming in and just what that it's a fishing town, you know. So for those who don't know about Guam, and that's why I guess Fish Friday is a big deal because that's what brings tourism in. And obviously, during carnival, that's another big thing for Grenada. But even hearing you talk about that experience in itself, I'm like, oh, I just learned something new about Grenada. I'm always learning stuff about Grenada. It's a beautiful island. People can't believe how small it is, but at the end of the day, we are like the Underground Sculpture Museum is one of the top 25 wonders of the world. So the fact that we're contributing to that is amazing. And um, just hearing you say like you just had a normal upbringing. So I'm gonna tell everybody who doesn't know, you are the world championship winner in 2012 London Olympics gold medal winner, silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. You know, they say when you're in your journey in life, it's not where you're going, it's where you came from. And so when you say you think about the memory of being part of that fishing community, when you're on the track and you're ready to run and the gun goes off, what do you think of?

SPEAKER_00 5:31

What do I think of?

SPEAKER_01 5:32

Yeah. What is what is is it is it what is like the gun goes off and then you just go. But do you have a vision? Like it's very nerve-wracking. Like for us who's watching you on the world stage, you know what I mean? And when that gun goes off, it's like I I'm an athlete myself, and I ran the 200 and the 100 in school. Um, when that gun goes off, it's like, you know, zero die at that point.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

So, you know, yeah, I mean, it's similar, it never changes. But I think for me, you just want to focus on your race, focus on what you're supposed to do, especially in that moment.

SPEAKER_04 6:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

Is you want to whatever strategy or whatever focus or whatever plan that you have, I think you want to focus on on that and executing to the best of your ability. Now, where it gets interesting is like throughout the lead up, throughout the games or the meets and all that, you always want to. Well, for me, is is is always about focusing on just trying to represent you know everyone that's affiliated with me, whether it's stakeholders, whether it's family, whether it's community, all that, you want to go out and do your best and try to make them proud. So, yeah, leading up to it, yeah. Obviously, you want you're thinking about those things, right? As to okay, how am I going to perform? How are people, you know, following the races? Are people knowing, you know, what channel it is, what time it is, to make sure that everyone can tune in and do all those things. So yeah, leading up is always a little bit more, I would say, not nerve-wracking, but is is a bit more surreal. When you kind of look at everything that all that's that's there in stake and and how much you want to represent and to kind of make people make make everyone proud, especially in that aspect, in that a small aspect as well, not a small aspect, but you know, an aspect on in sport, where some where we have something where people could galvanize and people could come together and support. So sometimes, yeah, it feels like a little bit of a responsibility to to go out and always kind of perform at a certain level because you know the expectation is always there. So yeah, going into those meets is is a lot more interesting in terms of you know navigating those all those emotions and all that. So yeah, but the race time is is focus on the plan, you know, and and just try to execute that in that in that moment for that 45 or whatever seconds.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

Yeah, it's interesting because you know, you train for four years for that one moment in time, and it's like anything can happen on the day of it could be the wind is a little too strong. It could, you know, you have so many people, false starts and all that. But going back from the beginning, you were 14 when you won your first race. So how did that feel? Did you even realize that, you know, this is something that you could do professionally?

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Yeah, I remember I was in, there was a game called the CUT Games, Caribbean Union of Teachers Games. I think that was that year it was in St. Lucia, I think. And that was my first time actually leaving the country on a plane, on a Leah Dash, all of that. That flight felt like 10 hours, you know, even though he was just riding in St. Lucia. So that was that was my first time of going out and competing internationally. And I think I was about 13 at the time, and just having that experience, you know, especially when you look, you see on TV, you see Jamaicans, you see Trinidad, um folks from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bahamas. You see them all on TV and you were like, okay, well, you know, hopefully, especially at that level, maybe somebody could get somebody could get there, right?

SPEAKER_02 9:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:41

And, you know, just looking at it, going out there and competing. I think it was a game where it's almost like you're doing all the events. I remember the I was doing the 400, the 200. I think I won the 400. I got second in the 200. A Jamaican beat me in the in the 200. And like I say, I won the 400. So I was competing against, like you said, all those guys from Jamaica, Trinidad, Bahamas, Barbados, all the other Caribbean countries. And I think it was from that moment where it was like, okay, like I'm at that level. In terms of just natural ability, like we're all at that level. So now it's about just kind of focusing and just using that as a platform and a springboard to propel me to try to do well. So from there, you know, I think I was, I think in 2006, my first year in um my hometown club called uh Speed Zone. That was my club, club in Gualve. Um, the coach at that uh um that time was um Coach Albert Joseph. And he coached me throughout my whole my whole youth, youth career. And from there, from coming out off of that game, I was like, okay, let me start taking athletics very seriously. You know, I'm not gonna play too much football anymore, I'm not gonna play too much cricket, no, not too much basketball. I'm just going to focus and zone in on this one, on this one sport. And I think that's when that's when it kind of hit me, and and to kind of like I said, you know, open my eyes, not just to go in, whether it's to the Olympics or anything, but how many opportunities he could open, like coming up to the US, getting scholarships and and all of that. So it was, it was, I would say that was the first time I had, you know, where I felt like, okay, this could be this could be something, something great. And then uh we mentioned 2007 at World Youth. I think I was 14 at the time, and I was running against you know athletes that were 16, 17, right?

SPEAKER_01 11:43

So yeah, you're and you're 14, you said. You said were you 13 or 14?

SPEAKER_00 11:47

I was 14 in 2007.

SPEAKER_01 11:49

Oh my goodness. Wow, you're 14.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

I was 14 going on 15. Yeah, that was, I think that was in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where we had the world.

SPEAKER_01 11:57

Wow, Czech Republic. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

So, yeah, so I was competing against all those guys. And maybe as I was young, maybe it's just some naivety in it. Where I was like, I don't know how all this is gonna play out. I don't have to think too much, just run. And yeah, and I and I had good performances. I got a silver medal in that were youth games at 14. So, and like I said, all of that was just more evidence of you know, this could be something that I could be really good at. And from there, like I said, at home, you have character games, TBS first sports, you have intercall. You know, intercall is always a big deal in Grenada. Yeah, you know, so like I said, you just trying to go from strength to strength with there. But, you know, it was a lot of factors that came into play, a lot of people that were in my life at certain points that really helped me, whether it's just advice, whether it's just, you know, like like I say, with my club, all of that stuff. So it's a lot of you know people that are uh influential in job in terms of making me reach where I'm at today. So it's it's it's a wonderful experience. And looking back, I could only be grateful and humble that I've had all of that in my life.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

It's amazing to watch you. And you know, for me, I've been watching the Olympics since I was a child, and I've always loved track. It's one of the most popular events at the Olympics. When we talk about the summer games, you hear the announcers, there's like, we know you were waiting for the track event. Like, you know, this is it. It's it's it's because we're looking at the times, who's gonna beat the times? Like, um, even for you this year, I believe from what I heard, I don't know if it's true that Usain Bolt is gonna be in Paris. Going back to what you were saying about, you know, the people who were part of your journey to where you are now and not realizing it. Because when you're young, you're like, I can't believe this is happening. When did you realize? I think it was, was it before you made it to London that you realized that, you know, that there's some potential for you to make an impact or even compete at the international level. You know what I mean? Like against the world, you know, you're at the world stage.

SPEAKER_00 14:16

Yeah, like I said, that was always, like I said, since 2006, 2007, there was always a potential.

SPEAKER_04 14:23

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

Potential because you never know what's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_04 14:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:27

How you nurture that talent is always gonna dictate how how how far that that talent goes. So even then there were even conversations about you know, the Olympics or world championships and all that. So it was always it was always, I wouldn't say expectation, but it always, you know, the potential of all that. And if you remember, like I've always, you know, in 2008, you know, I was in World Juniors, got a silver medal there too. 2009, I was in World Youth the second time 16, 17, and I won the 400, won the 200 there. Uh 2010, World Juniors, I won the 400 there. So there was always like a very uh I would say prolific progression with me when it comes to you know going from the youth level, going up to the senior level. And 2011, you know, when I when I went to World Championships, you know, and I won that, and then the Olympics was following the the following year, obviously there's there's even more expectation. Like I said, it's always been there, you know, even in when I was in in world juniors in 2008. I remember I was competing against guys that were already in college.

SPEAKER_04 15:43

Wow, that's so amazing.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Yeah, so when I went there in like 2010, I went to University of Alabama, like I was seeing some of the same guys against in 2008. So I said it's always it's always been there. Like I said, I'm just grateful that I've had a lot of people, you know, in my life to help me. Like I said, my youth, my club coach in Grenada, which my college coach and professional coach, Harvey Glanz, you know, and then just so much people in my community that helped me. And even like I said, then the the expectation and the support was always there. So yeah, it wasn't just, you know, like you know, you're just aiming for one year in 2012 or whatnot. There was just always a nice progression going from level uh university, then and yeah, and it all kind of came together in 2012 Olympics.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

I have to say, 2009 to 2010, I think that was the lead up, right? It's it that's where you kind of figure out that, you know, I'm gonna after winning, it's you know, I read that 2010, you were offered scholarships at 10 US colleges. Why did you choose Alabama?

SPEAKER_00 16:59

Why did I choose Alabama?

SPEAKER_01 17:01

Yeah, I mean, you have 10 colleges offering you opportunities to train, to study, to experience the university life. You know what I mean? It's not just about competing in track, it's your education, your future. Why Alabama?

SPEAKER_00 17:18

Yeah, well, for me at the time, the whole reasoning was, you know, for me personally, was when I when I got, when I do was doing all the visits and all of that, I think I only ended up visiting three or four schools, really.

unknown 17:33

Right.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

Other those. I don't know if I don't know if it's 10. Maybe there was 10.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

I don't know if it was all they offered it to you. Yeah, there was you were offered 10 like scholarships at 10 colleges, but obviously, who's to remember? I mean, that was 14 years ago, you know what I mean? Uh like you can't remember everything in life, right?

SPEAKER_00 17:52

So yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah. For me, it was about, like I said, it was about growth and it was about having good people in my life. So it was about, okay, where can I go where for the next four years I could not just grow as an athlete, but grow as a person, you know. And the head coach at the time at the University of Alabama, and he became my my personal coach, uh Harvey Glantz. I think he was the main reason why I chose Alabama. When I went up there for a visit, you know, just seeing how he interacted with the team, the teammates, the teammates that were there at the time. You know, all of that, it just kind of gave me a bit of comfort knowing that okay, if I'm gonna spend four years of my life here, then I know that I'm in safe and that I'm gonna be looked and taken care of.

SPEAKER_04 18:41

Right.

SPEAKER_00 18:42

So that was kind of the main reason. It wasn't just about pure, you know, okay, this program has won X amount of titles or yeah, X amount of prestige or anything like that. It was more about the substance, more about the people and who I'm gonna be around. Yeah, yeah, you could be in the best system or the best or the most prolific, whatever, and you could be around people that are not really helping you grow as a person. So at the end of the day, you know, when it's all said and done, is you know, what I'm doing is gonna end at some point. So for me, it's about okay, what can I do where I can carry something that I would have for life and you know, be like for me, you know, being a good person or trying to be a good person and learning and growing in that way, like you would have that, you know, for the rest of your life. I think that's what's gonna matter more in your life than any kind of accolades or any kind of thing. So I'm glad I went there and I had that experience. And like I said, you know, I was glad he was my mentor, he was my father figure. You know, all the time.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Did you have did you were you were you um together?

SPEAKER_00 19:57

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:57

Yeah. Were you close with your father? Were you close with your mom? Like you said, he's your father, kind of like your father figure.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

So yeah, well, you have to remember, but I was 17 when I left for university.

SPEAKER_04 20:09

Right.

SPEAKER_00 20:10

Right? So I'm there in a in a place where, you know, in terms of having that close family, like I was there on my own. Right. So like I said, when you have people that could look out for you and give you a good mentorship and care for you more than just you know what you're doing on the track, that would always mean mean a lot. So yeah, it shows you that you know they value more than just an athlete, but also as a person. So that's why I say that. So yeah, it's is yeah, so so so when you when you look back at it, like yeah, like it made it made a world of a difference.

SPEAKER_01 20:49

17. Oh my goodness, I can't imagine. I'm thinking about being 17 again, and you know, at 17, I was in my grade nine, as in grade 12, like one more year of high school, you know, and uh yeah, at 17, you're like you're so close. It's like for me, I was part of the last class at grade 13. Um, I was the last class of grade 13 here in Toronto, and um, it was a double cohort. So the pressure was on. It was like, you have to, I was applying both to colleges and university, and I got into York and I wasn't sure about going to York either. Like I was, I was like, should I go to York? You know, and then one of my friends was like, I'm going to York and I think you should go. And they offered me a scholarship. It wasn't the best. Like it was like, it covered some of my books, Karani. I was like, you know, but I'm telling you now, now that it's been, you're making me age myself here. But uh, it's been, I graduated at York in 2008. And two of my closest friends, I met at York. And it's been one of them, it's 20 years that we've been friends. And had I not gone to York, I probably wouldn't have met them. So, you know, it's like you said, you choose your path, like, and you don't know what the outcome will be. But had I known, like, who's to say I would have like here we are now, here and now. Today is Jen, like we're in January in 2024. And who would have thought that I would be speaking to like the gold medal Olympic champion? Right. Like this is this is a moment in time that I probably will never forget. Because I I'm gonna tell you right now, I remember where I was when you were running. Because my my aunt, she even told me, she was like, Oh, uh, there's this guy, you know, there's this guy, Karani James, like this uh youth champion. Watch out for him. Like they're they're saying he could be the next, the next one. And you know, so I was watching you throughout your journey. So, you know.

SPEAKER_00 23:02

You said you moved when you were when you were what age?

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Oh yeah. Um, I was six when I got here in yeah, in Toronto.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

Yeah. Do you remember any of the time before when you were at home or anything?

SPEAKER_01 23:16

Yeah, I do. I was a little troublemaker. I remember a little bit of stuff. Um, I remember like I think where did I go? The Burian school? Like I remember the fall edge, um, walking on the fall edge, because my my I don't know if you know this part, but my grandmother's house is by grand aunt's beach there. And I remember one time I um you're making me think about this. It's so funny. So, anyways, you know, you wear uniform to school every day, and I was a little troublemaker. So I think my mom, or I don't remember who braided my hair, but someone braided my hair and I didn't like the style karate. So I took it out. And um, my dad came to pick me up and he was like, What happened to your hair? And I'm like, I didn't like it. And then I think they redid my hair. But I was a troublemaker in school, and you know, they give you money for your snacks, like at recess or whatever you call it back home. And I spent my bus fare money. So I didn't have money to get home, to get on the bus. I don't know who covered it, but somebody did. But I remember getting in trouble for that. They were like, Well, how did you do that? You know, and not thinking, I wasn't even thinking about the fact that I had to get home because I don't remember how much the bus fare was, or the, you know, I think it was like 50 cents or whatever, but I spent my bus fare money.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

Yeah, that was back then. Yeah, back then it was 50 cents.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

Right?

SPEAKER_00 24:43

No, it's just yeah. Are you you think you're used to like the weather and all that? No in Canada. No, no, you never get used to it.

SPEAKER_01 24:51

No, no, no, you guys. I I don't know how I do it either. I complain every year. I'm like, I tell my my aunt, I'm like, I have to, I have to come back. I can't do this. I don't know how much longer I can do it. It's over 30 years to do this. Quran yesterday was minus 24 with the windshield. I was wearing mittens and everything. Like you can dress for the cold, but I always say to my I'm like, if I had the money, I I would I'd probably buy property in Grenada and you know, uh be a snowbird.

SPEAKER_00 25:24

Yeah, anything negative on a on a thermometer doesn't suffer.

SPEAKER_01 25:29

And for you, you're training. There's you'd be in the all the indoor facilities here, you know what I mean by that. Yeah, Canada's a great place. Yeah. Here in Toronto, a lot of people, but a lot of changes have happened, but the people are friendly and stuff. And every time I go back home, it's kind of like a culture shock in a way, because I don't come back every year, but everybody's so friendly, you know. And you know, when you go back, my grandmother's house is right by Grand Aunt's Beach. So it's a five-minute walk. And she used, if you know the White House, like she's you go up the hill, but you know where the Texaco gas station used to be, right in Grand Anne's there, like you're going up, uh going towards the golf course.

SPEAKER_03 26:11

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:12

Yeah, that's my grandmother's house, is right there. So I tell I I tell her, I'm like, Granny, you got the best view in Granada. Yeah, you know, yeah. For sure, right? Grand Anne's Beach, you know. Yeah. Did you go there a lot when you were younger? Or did you do more stuff in Guave?

SPEAKER_00 26:32

No, not really. Yeah, most of my stuff was in Guave. Maybe you know, one time they might take us on like uh in the school year or in the semester. We'd call it like field trip or like bus party or something like that.

SPEAKER_02 26:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:50

Which will take you, where they would take you to grand ants and then they would take you to whether it's Camahon or somewhere, you know, and you hang out and then you come back. But yeah, most of most of the stuff was involved. I didn't really know grands until I got a little bit older.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

Right, right. Yeah, you're so do you consider yourself a fisher? Are you a fisherman? Do you know how to fish?

SPEAKER_00 27:11

No, not really. I know how to, but I haven't fished a lot. My parents, they were always a little bit concerned with you know, going out, especially with somebody else, you know. But yeah, but you know, I used to be one of my friends, his dad was a fisherman, and we used to um like when they came in, like we would like go and we would like carry some of the fish like to the fish market, and then we would like clean the boats and all that. So I did that for a little for a little while. And I remember the first time they um they they paid me because you get paid for that. And they they came to my house and they gave me like a$20. And I was like, that's it. I was like, you can't tell me nothing. I was like, I was like Mark Homo, you know, in that video where he was like, Yeah, I'm I'm I'm buying everything with that twenty dollars right now.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

I was so oh my gosh, your first key, yeah.$20. I mean, at that time, I'm sure you could buy a bed of stuff with that, but oh yeah, that was$20 or so. Yeah, now$20. I'm like, how did I spend$20? Like, I just bought, you know, like even now, it's like, what do you show for it?

SPEAKER_00 28:24

Like the dollars, like yeah, that's that's a most trip going grandson back.

SPEAKER_01 28:29

Right? Exactly. But your journey is so amazing. I have a question for you. When you won the medal and you went back to Grenada, what was that like? What was the feeling? Like, tell me.

SPEAKER_00 28:48

Oh man, it was it was amazing, yeah. Yeah, it was something I always remember because it was just it was just a celebration of everything, you know, like a celebration of my achievement, a celebration of athletes in the past, like Allen Francisc, like oh, I remember Alan Francic.

SPEAKER_01 29:10

Oh my gosh, wow.

SPEAKER_00 29:12

All those guys that that came before me was oh my goodness, wow of everything. So um it was it was just a special time. Like you said, for Grenada, you know, to win a medal at the Olympics, you know, I I don't think anybody could, you know, write that, write that in a script. So you know, just being able to do that and kind of put the country on the map in in that sort of way, and just seeing everybody celebrate and everybody being proud, I mean it was just it was a special special moment. And yeah, I don't think it's something I would ever I would ever forget. So yeah, yeah, even like even nowadays, like even when I go home, you know, there's at least one or two people I would kind of reminisce about about that, about that, and and and how that moment was. So it always is there's always a reminder when I go home of how proud and how excited and how exuberant everybody was about that moment.

SPEAKER_01 30:23

No, it's a beautiful moment. Yeah, I was right there with you. I wasn't in Granada, but like it just I was like, I can't believe that. Wow, you know, because there's it's not like we have a lot of people that have won an like um a medal, a gold medal at the Olympics, you know.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

So I was I was the first, I was the first on winning medal. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:48

You are making history, you don't even like you're just like you made history in 2012. You did.

SPEAKER_00 30:55

I mean, it was, yeah, like I said, nobody has ever seen.

SPEAKER_04 30:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

A country of a hundred thousand people. Like I always use this comparison. I went to, like I said, I went to Alabama and our stadium, our football stadium, Brian Denny, was 105,000 people. So I always use that analogy of telling people, like, you know, we have a country that you could full into a stadium that you could pack into a stadium in Alabama.

SPEAKER_01 31:20

Wow. I never even thought about it that way. Yeah, I'm here, so I'm in Toronto, but uh, there's different parts of Toronto, like the GTA, Greater Toronto area, and I'm here in Brampton. And there is more people in Brampton than there is in Grenada, like just alone. So it's a it's a good comparison. I I will think of that when I when I think of Grenada. I'm like, wow, it fills a stadium. Wow. Mesmerizing. I know. You know what? Everybody knows each other, and people say hi, and it's a small town, and Grenada's like a friendly eye, like it's so friendly. Like we are the only country in the world that does not have a military, you know? Yeah, yeah. And it's uh there's a lot of history in Grenada. People don't realize it.

SPEAKER_02 32:11

And we've got a lot of history, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:12

Yeah, you know, and you've created history without even realizing it. Like you're just I'm I'm sure when it happened, you you you thought about it, right? And you're like, oh, but um, for the rest of the world and us Grenadians, I I I say to you, I'm like, I I can't believe you did it. You know, you did it. You you made your mark. You could stop now, and and it would it would be like you're in the history books, you're on the uh you're on the Olympic website, you're you're you're there, like um, and you've done more than you could ever know, right? So we're yeah, coming from me, I'm I'm like, you know, as a Grenadian, I'm proud of you. You know, I'm not like I was I was born there, I wasn't raised in Grenada, so I have a different experience. But as someone who was born there, and my parents, my mom and my dad, the Grenadian, and you know, the history, it's just like it's good. It's a good, it's a good thing. 2024, summer games in Paris. Leading up to that, what what what as an athlete, how does it look like you're training every day? I know for those who don't know, you're actually not even in Alabama, you're in Arizona. And what's it like training there now? Like, I mean, is that your training ground or you know?

SPEAKER_00 33:41

Yeah, I've I've I've been living in in Arizona since 2012 since 2020.

SPEAKER_04 33:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 33:48

It's been a while, so I'm kind of used to how everything is. Yeah, I think the main thing is the weather is a lot more consistent than a lot of other places. There's other places where there are good training bases like California, uh, Florida, Texas, those areas are uh uh have a similar kind of consistent weather. So yeah, I've been here, I mean, I'm really enjoying it. Um, even though it's a little bit cold this week, which is surprising for Arizona.

SPEAKER_01 34:20

Yeah, always warm there. Yeah, dry heat.

SPEAKER_00 34:23

It's kind of uh that's what we call it dry heat. That's what they call it. I don't know. It's I don't know if it's dry heat, it's furnace heat to me.

SPEAKER_01 34:34

Have you been to Las Vegas?

SPEAKER_00 34:36

I have been to Las Vegas, yes.

SPEAKER_01 34:38

So I think I I haven't been to Arizona, but I've been to Las Vegas and somebody told me this, but I didn't realize it until I was there. The dry heat, it affects you if you're not drinking a lot of water. So what happens is the temperature is so dry that you could go a long time without eating. Like I remember the first time I went to Vegas, I was like, how come I'm not even hungry? And they're like, you need to drink water because the humidity, like you're not feeling the humidity like you would in any other part of the world. But the dry heat does affect you in that way because you're not hydrating. And if you're not hydrating, your body's not used to that. So it's a little bit different, I think, is what they say.

SPEAKER_00 35:19

That's interesting. I never knew that.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

Yeah. Somebody mentioned it to me. They're like, make sure you stay hydrated, keep drinking water, because you won't realize it until like you've passed a couple hours and you're like, oh, I'm like, I'm not even hungry, but I need to eat, right? Yeah, it's elevated. Consistency is an important thing when you're an athlete, right?

SPEAKER_00 35:40

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 35:42

What do you think you have to do as someone who's at that stage in your career? Like, what's the most important thing for anyone who is a track athlete, like up and coming athletes? What advice do you have for them?

SPEAKER_00 36:02

Advice I would have for to them is to focus on your priorities, I would say. For me is is a little bit different because I'm I'm a little I'm a bit older than them. So yeah, for me, it's just being consistent and trying to avoid injuries, listening to my body a lot more. Because sometimes when you're young, when you're 21, 22, I mean you're you're you know, you're six million dollar man, like nothing and nothing knocks you down. As you get older, that doesn't happen anymore. So you have to take real good care and listen to your body. You know, know when it's time to, you know, to relax and to maybe you know take a step back and and and and and not put too much pressure on your body. But for younger athletes, I would say to be consistent and just focus on priorities, you know, and focus on you know whatever path, whatever goals that you have, is to do things that are going to contribute to it. You know, and if your goal is to is to be the best athletes that you can, then yeah, you know what your priority is. You know, it's your training, is your recovery, is uh, you know your diet, it's your you know, focus on on doing everything that you can to to help uh maximize whatever you're trying to achieve, maximize potential in whatever you're trying to achieve. So I can't tell you what your goals are. Some people goals are different, and that's okay. You know, but if your goal is to be uh compete other games and to do your absolute best, then you have to focus on those things that are going to help you get there. It's not it's not a secret, it's not some you know science or whatever. It's it's it's it's you do those basic things, and that's 90% of what you're supposed to do is is is is those basic things, right? So yeah, it's is is is yeah about focusing on that and and and and doing that. So yeah, yeah. That's what that's the advice I would give them. I wouldn't give them any type of training advice or anything like that.

SPEAKER_01 38:36

So um that's good advice.

SPEAKER_00 38:39

I think I think just focus on that, on those kinds of things.

SPEAKER_01 38:43

No, even even for me, as every year, you know, you go through like the New Year's resolution, and I don't really do that, but I do goals because um goals are long-term, they could be short-term goals or long-term, long-term goals, yeah, but at the end of the day, we're all trying to achieve something, some more than others, like some are, you know, some of us have a path in life we're supposed to do something great, you know what I mean? And obviously, you're here to do something great, right? You know, who knows? I mean, you were born and then, you know, your parents raised you the best that they could. And obviously you had the natural talent, you just needed the people to back you, to support you, and to help you get there, right? So sometimes it is about the natural talent at the end of the day, right? Did you have someone growing up, like when you were did you watch the Olympics? Was there someone that inspired you to do track? When did you know that you wanted to focus on tracking?

SPEAKER_00 39:47

In terms of I wouldn't say somebody that inspired me to do track.

SPEAKER_04 39:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 39:53

Um, I would say to be honest, I was just following my older brother.

SPEAKER_04 39:56

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_00 39:58

He was a sports guy too. Like he was one of those athletes in everything. Yeah, just one of those guys. So he was a like I said, when I joined uh my club Speed Zone, like he was a part of it. And I just followed him and tagged along with him at that time. But his his main his really his main joy was always basketball. But like I said, he was somebody that did every he was one of those athletes that was, you know, like kind of Jim Top that could do any and everything, right? That could, you know, play basketball, play football, could long jump, high jump, run, you know, volleyball, everything. In terms of getting really into it, I would I would say him, but in terms of inspiration from on a on a Olympic level, I mean it had to be for me. I mean, it was Alan Francik. Like I think growing up, I think everybody remembered, you know, in 2004 how much, just how much of a of uh of expectations there was and uh and a lot of excitement, I would say.

SPEAKER_02 41:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:08

When he was competing. I remember, you know, like you are like you had to wake up early to watch to watch the races. I guess what are that games? I think it was somewhere in yeah, yeah, I think it was in Europe at the time, I think. And he had to get up early to watch some of his.

SPEAKER_01 41:25

I remember, I remember, I remember watching, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:31

Sometimes if you don't have a TV at home and you go over to your neighbor and your neighbor asks how the neighbor's like, look, you know, he's running now. And you know, so I would say from that standpoint, from on that level, like he just raised the excitement for every I think for every kid that was growing up in that time, you know, in 2004, if you were eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, like he was the inspiration in Grenada, I think, uh, around that time.

SPEAKER_02 42:03

So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:04

So I mean he yeah, in terms of on a professional level and an Olympic level, like he was a guy that you know you are looking for for inspiration and saying that, yeah, like he is grenader. He has his he has the flag on his chest and he's representing us. So if he can get there, then we can get there too. Like we're there.

SPEAKER_04 42:24

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:26

Yeah, so I think that was that was that was very important for him, especially for my generation growing up, especially the athletes growing up. He was he was I think the main inspiration for all of us.

SPEAKER_01 42:37

Yeah, oh I remember. I was like, I can't believe he didn't get it, you know. Like it was just, I think he came in fourth. I can't remember.

SPEAKER_02 42:45

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 42:46

Yeah, yeah. See, we both remember, yeah. I was watching, I remember watching that too and seeing him compete. And it's interesting. I was like, is anyone else gonna do what he did? Because I mean, he was the closest in terms of Grenada being on the map uh at the Olympic level, you know? Yeah, and uh yeah, a lot of people before him and after him. I just, you know, like you said, for me, I think I gotta tell you, 2008. So you said in 2008, you well, where were you competing? Um, there's something about 2008, anyways. Um, you made me think in 2008, I was in Grenada. I graduated university and I went back home. I was like, I told my dad, I'm like, I wanna go back to Grenada. We were having a reunion and uh I was back home and my aunt and I we were watching the Olympics in Beijing together. And I just remember watching Michael Phelps and Usain both. It was just amazing to watch, you know, like even though you're not there, it's like the amount of excitement. They bring. So you have no idea. Like, I mean, even when you were running, I was like, oh my gosh, is he going to do it? Like I think I had to like make sure I made it home on time. And like I'm like, I don't want to miss the race. And it's like you said, like you, if you have to go out to a neighbor's house or if you have to go on a break when you're at work, like the Olympics, you make sure, like certain events that I can't miss it. I just I can't, you know? So, but yeah, it's uh it's a journey, it's a process, and it's it's a whole different thing. Like, I mean, even this year, do you have any other events that you have to compete at before the Olympics, or is it just training?

SPEAKER_00 44:42

Yeah, usually my season starts around the old season starts around March.

SPEAKER_04 44:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:47

I usually start around April, mid-April, uh, end of April.

SPEAKER_02 44:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:53

Where there's always a series of meets. There's continental uh meets, um, there's different levels. There's gold level, there's silver level, there's bronze bronze level, and then there's a diamond league, which is kind of our main uh circuit races. Yeah, which everybody wants to compete in. You know, so that's so there's gonna be a couple of those races before the Olympics. Yeah, so hopefully I could get a good, you know, uh at least six races in before the Olympics to kind of prep and to kind of have a season, you know, going in. So that's what I always it's always been. Yeah, and yeah, there's there's always the there is always a season where people don't you know like realize, like they see it every year, but they don't realize like Olympics, like world championships, like even the name of the championships or the event might change. A lot of times it's the same athletes, right? So a lot of times you're still competing against guys that you already know, and sometimes that what just changes the name. So for me, like every year, there is always a major championship, whether it's world championships, whether it's Olympic Games, whether it's Commonwealth games, there's always a high level that you want to aim for. So it's not just about you know, like every four years is a like every year, you know. Oh my god, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:24

Oh my gosh, you know what?

SPEAKER_00 46:25

It's the same guys, uh yeah, yeah. Yeah, it never it never really stops, it never, it's not like you're in a four-year prep, it's like a year-by-year prep. And yeah, like people don't even realize, like, yeah, it's it's the same guys, yeah. Same guys you're competing against that they're going to be there. Same guys that were there last year, Budapest. 90% of them are gonna be there this year. So wow, should be should be fun.

SPEAKER_01 46:53

Yeah, it should be. Yeah, no, I'm I'm excited for you. I'm excited about the summer Olympics in Paris. Uh, it's gonna be fun. I mean, there's so much to look forward to, and you just don't know until the day of like I mean, this year the Olympics is starting. I looked it up July, was it July 26th? Am I right? Remind me, Karani.

SPEAKER_00 47:17

When is yeah, I think I'm not sure when truck and feel, I think track and feel starts a week later, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:22

Yeah, that's when it starts. I was looking at it and I'm like, wow, we're we're already stuck in week in January, and it's like, oh my god, wow, time is just flying by, isn't it? Like, I mean, yeah. I'm gonna be 40 this year, Karani. Yeah, yeah. It's one of those things where it's like, I can't believe it, you know?

SPEAKER_00 47:46

Um sorry, I couldn't tell.

SPEAKER_01 47:49

I know a lot of we we just age so gracefully. People are like, wow, really? I'm like, yeah, I am. We can't believe it. I I can thank my my mom and my dad, you know, for giving me some good genes, right? So there's one more thing I I I think I I want to say before we get into that. I'm Carleen, and this is not Magnation. I'm sitting with Karani James, Olympic athlete, the first gold medalist for Grenada. You know, you were talking about your goals and focusing on your goals and your health and your fitness. And I remember reading when you you had a time in your life and you've you found out that you have Graves' disease and you know you were dealing with that. How was that? Like, I mean, obviously, there's always obstacles that you come upon.

SPEAKER_00 48:40

Yeah, I mean, like you said, it was a it was an obstacle.

SPEAKER_01 48:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:44

It was a surreal kind of experience because you know, you never really imagine like these things would just happen. And even though, yeah, like it might have happened over time, and maybe like you ignore certain symptoms, because a lot of times as an athlete, you know, you know, you just you think that you could, it's just you're just having little moments. Right? You just have to. So yeah, you just power through it, you train through it, and all of that. So you know, at first, you know, we weren't sure what what what it was that was happening. It could have been anything, it could have been something with my blood, it could have been cancer, it could have been and when we did the test and it was Graves' disease, you know, it was surprised. I was surprised just like just like everyone. And from there it was just about finding out the right treatment plan, the right the next steps to take. Just try to go from there, you know. I've never, you know, try to be too negative on it. Right, you know, try to accept it for what it was and what it is. Uh just try to focus on okay, how can we get better?

SPEAKER_04 49:57

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:58

And not try to wallow too much or like be down or anything. And yeah, just okay, this is what it is, this is what I have, okay. What are the next steps? Let's work towards that. But at the same time, you know, be patient and understand that it will be a process and not try to push yourself too hard, or if you're not seeing the improvement that you want to try to get, you know, feel down or anything like that. So, yeah, it was it was just something that I had to accept and just try to listen to my body and just try to improve day by day, get better. And I would say now at a point where I'm at I'm pretty stable, I'll still have to do lab works like every three months to make sure that the levels are where it's supposed to be. So, yeah, so it's something that you know, I'd have to take medication for the rest of my life just to maintain my thyroid levels. Yeah, but you know, it it is what it is, you know. I have to accept that and I have to just try to make the best of it and try to focus on it. And you know, if somebody comes along and they have a similar issue, then I know how to help them and how to guide them, how to give them proper advice as to how they would feel, you know, how they would not feel, what you know kind of treatment they're getting or anything like that, to just kind of give them broaden their perspective or broaden their their knowledge of it. So you know, I could do that, especially from an athletic standpoint. I know there's a couple of athletes in the past that that had it. So yes, yeah. If if you know, I think the main thing is, yeah, it happened to me, but that doesn't mean that I can't help the next person, you know, go through that experience and have a more supportive cast in going through that experience and and just giving them support in any way I can.

SPEAKER_01 52:03

No, it it it's you know what uh anything in life, you know, things happen that there's things that we can control, and there's some things that you just can't control, and that's one of them, right? And so so is it hereditary? Like is it in your family?

SPEAKER_00 52:18

No, it's not hereditary.

SPEAKER_01 52:20

No, okay.

SPEAKER_00 52:21

No, it's just so for those who don't know there isn't uh a specific cause oh really or it could trigger it or anything. Sometimes it just could be, you know, your body just overreacting.

SPEAKER_01 52:35

Oh wow, yeah, you know, listening to you talk about that this year. Um, I'm anemic and I've always had to take iron supplements and it's in my genetics, and I understand what you're saying with that. Uh, so you're gonna have to take uh you're gonna have to take something for your thyroid for the rest of your life, right? So with me, I had a time where I was, you know, you said you ignore your symptoms. So I was ignoring symptoms of like the when my iron is low, I get you get cold, um, you're out of breath. Like I remember like walking up the flight of stairs in my apartment here. And I'm like, why am I so winded? Like, and those are the things that as a someone who's been dealing with this most of my life since I was like 14 or maybe even younger. And then I ignored it. And then I it got so bad that when I my dad, my um my doctor called me at 3:30 in the morning, karani. I'm like, what? Who's calling me at this time? So I went to go get the results. Like, you know, you do your your regular checkup. So I went uh in November and I went and did my checkup and then he called me on the Friday morning. I'm like, why? I'm like half asleep. I'm like, who's calling at this time? And then he left a message and then he called again. And I'm like, hi, Dr. Amayu. He's like, Yeah, Carleen, your iron levels are really low. And I'm like, what do you mean? It's just like, he's like, you're gonna have to go to the hospital. I'm like, the hospital? Is that bad? He's like, Yeah. He's like, the lab called me. And I'm like, okay, it's one of those things, you you ignore it until it gets really bad.

SPEAKER_00 54:10

And I think that's the thing with like, I guess, with hindsight or looking back, where it's like you could more pinpoint a lot of these things. That's what I'm that's what when I say, like, you could help the next person, you know, in the future, you know, if somebody says, Oh, I'm feeling this way, you know, um, my eye feels sandy, you know, okay, okay, we need to you need to check this and see what's going on. Yeah you know, I think sometimes that that that helps, like you say, we could all go through things. I think the main thing, if we could help the next person, you know, that are going through a certain experience, and I think that's that's making the best out of it, out of our situation. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 54:55

No, it's good, it's good. You said you experienced that, and I I could tell you, like, I have a coworker, he had something happen to him like um that happened to me, and I I saw it. I'm like, you need to go to the hospital like today. And he didn't listen to you, you didn't go that night, but he went the following morning and he's like, Carlene, I yeah, I broke my ankle. I'm like, Yeah, when you showed me how to look, I was like, you need to go. I'm like, I don't even know how you manage it. I'm like, your tolerance for pain is a lot higher than mine because I remember that pain and I'm like, there's no ignoring this. I first I was like hoping I broke, like I remember when I broke my ankle, I thought I sprained it, karani. And when the doctor came with the exam, I was like, no. He's like, Yeah, you you fractured it. It's a minor fracture, but so now I know for myself. Like when I when he told me, I was like, What? You sure? Yeah, that's not that's not uh something you treat. I'm like, you gotta go now, like, because it could, it just makes it worse the longer you take to take care of something with like an injury, right? So yeah, I'm so happy that we finally um had this conversation. It's been I have to tell you this, it's been a dream of mine. Like I was like you just helped me accomplish something that I I didn't even think was attainable. I was I didn't even know you were gonna say yes. And you and when you did, I was like, I can't believe it. You know, and talking to you now, you're you're so humble. So it's just uh you never know what to expect in life.

SPEAKER_00 56:32

Yeah. I'm glad it it all worked out. It was yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:38

It was a pleasure speaking to you too. Uh, I'm Carlene, and this is not Magnation with the one and only Karani James.