Barbara Pierre’s journey to world indoor gold

Diamond League

When Barbara Pierre (7.02) won the world indoor 60m title in Portland earlier this year, beating Dafne Schippers (7.04) and Elaine Thompson (7.06), her victory surprised a lot of people, who would have seen Beijing world 200m champion Schippers as a clear favourite.

When I asked Pierre about her feelings on the race, the answer was very down-to-earth. “I thought anything could happen,” she said. “It could have been anyone’s race but it just happened to be mine. But I didn’t go into the race thinking about beating anybody or even winning. I just wanted to repeat what I’d done at the US trials (she won in 7.00), to execute the best race I could.

“I produce my best race when I just stay focused and do the things that I am supposed to do. But I don’t go into a race thinking ‘I have to win’, ‘I have to beat Dafne’ or ‘I have to beat this or that person’. It’s just, stay cool, stay calm, do what I’m supposed to do -or what my coach tells me to do.”

Pierre was born in Haiti but was raised by her mother in Florida. Her dad was still in Haiti and she would be taken back twice a year to visit him. That left her feeling both American and Haitian.

“It could have been anyone’s race but it just happened to be mine” – Pierre after her World Indoor Championships success

“I was born in Haiti so I am 100 per cent Haitian but I was raised in the States, in Florida. So I can’t really say I am more of this or more of that. It’s an equal thing,” she said.

The 29-year-old started running in high …

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