Perinchief Looking Forward To USATF Meet
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Bermuda triple jumper Jah-Nhai Perinchief believes he is in his best shape “physically and mentally” since transitioning from the high jump to the triple jump.
His decision in 2019 to switch events because of persistent injuries has proved a wise one, with the 25-year-old enjoying a sublime first season as a professional athlete, winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and silver at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association Senior Championships last summer.
With a lengthy pre-season under his belt, focusing on building a more robust body, Perinchief has started the outdoor campaign strongly, finishing sixth at the Wanda Diamond League in Doha, Qatar, with a jump of 16.86 metres earlier this month.
He will look to improve on that performance at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix at the Flora Duffy Stadium on Sunday [May 21].
“It’s always good to put on a show for the island,” Perinchief told Bernews. “I was returning from injury last time [the Grand Prix when held in Bermuda in April last year] and wasn’t a hundred per cent fit, so it wasn’t the best timing.
“I feel a lot better this year. I had a good season opener in Doha and looking forward to my second meet.
“I had a long pre-season, a long conditioning phase, and my coach [Travis Geopfert] is finally letting the [training] wheels off.
“I’ve done all the extra stuff, the rehab, the conditioning, to ensure my body stays healthy. The healthier I am, the more I can train and the more reps I can get.
“I’ve been learning as much as possible over the past few years since switching events. I’ve learned enough to allow myself to jump freely without thinking how this phase should be or focusing on the little stuff.”
Perinchief will be up against American triple jump icons Will Claye, who won silver at the Olympic Games in London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and Christian Taylor, a four-time world champion, who claimed gold in London and Rio.
“I was watching these guys before I was even a triple jumper,” said Perinchief, the Bermuda Male Athlete of the Year.
“They’re great athletes. It’s a great experience and an honour to jump against them, especially in front of my home crowd.”
With the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, next month, the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, in August, and the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, in October, it should be another exciting season for Perinchief, who aims to “add some accolades to my name”.
The Arkansas-based athlete added: “I’d like to hit the qualifying mark [17.22] for the Worlds as soon as possible. Every big competition is on my calendar. It’s going to be a busy season.”
