Following her historic gold medal exploits and performances at the Carifta Games, South American Under-20 Championship and Commonwealth Youth Games, standout athlete Tianna Springer has secured an academic scholarship with local institution Chase’s Academy.
Henry Chase, principal of the highly rated institution, confirmed Springer’s acquisition of the scholarship, disclosing, “When I look at her performances for the country, I thought about assisting in a small way, and obviously education is one way that I can assist. I know we have the master teachers at the school, and once she is committed, she will acquire CXC subjects and make herself very marketable for colleges and universities in the United States.”
He added,” The Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle played a major role in facilitating this process; I didn’t know the athlete personally, and Mr. Ninvalle made the connection and facilitated her getting the scholarship at the school.”
Springer, 15, secured regional fame and glory following her accumulation of gold medals at the aforementioned prestigious championships.
Her international haul started off with a gold-medal acquisition in the Women’s U-17 400m at the Carifta Games in the Bahamas with a time of 54.32 seconds.
This was followed by a South American U-20 Championship gold in Colombia in the Women’s 400m with a record time of 53.28s, besting the previous mark of 53.44s, set by Brazilian Barbara De Oliveira in 2009. She also won bronze in the Women’s 200m with a time of 23.72 seconds.
Springer then stormed to gold once more in the Women’s 400m at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago in a time of 53.55 seconds.
She also anchored the team to victory in the Mixed 4x400m relay event in a record time of 3:22.07 seconds, smashing the previous mark of 3:25.08 seconds, set by Australia in 2017.
The soft-spoken Springer said, “It’s nice receiving a scholarship, and it will help me to do my best so I can work hard towards getting a scholarship overseas. The Director of Sport played a big part, and he did a lot of running around so that I could get this scholarship. I am very grateful for his assistance.”
An excited Mechel Rose-Springer, mother of a champion sprinter, said, “I am very excited, I am glad, and I feel happy. Tianna has always been a straight ‘A’ student right up to sixth grade, but has not been getting the type of attention at her current school. At this school, she will get the required attention.”
“This scholarship is very important, and from here she can get into any university she wants because she will be working for a scholarship overseas. Mr. Ninvalle really helped us a lot in this process; he set up the process, and if it wasn’t for him, Tianna wouldn’t have gotten this scholarship. We are thankful to him and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport,” the mother said.
The Director of Sport also presented young Springer with a laptop computer to aid her studies.
Keep up the good work Tiana. You see how far your talent has gotten yo to. May zGod bless you Mr.. Ninvalle for using your initiative to ascertain that Tiana gets that scholarship.