Taina Basiyalo 
[Photo: File]
Standing on the start line alongside some of the world’s fastest sprinters was reward enough for Fiji’s Helena Young, who says the experience has only strengthened her belief
as she looks ahead to the next chapter of her athletics career.
The Commonwealth Games campaign saw Young compete in both the women’s 100 and 200 metres, testing herself against an elite international field after nearly a decade since her
appearance at the Commonwealth Youth Games.
“We knew while preparing for these Games that we’d come up against some of the best in the world, and that’s what happened in the 100 and 200 metres. They definitely brought
out the best in me in the 100 metres. Unfortunately in the 200 metres I pulled up with a nerve injury, so my goal today was just to get my body over the line, and we managed to
do that.”
Despite the setback in her 200m event, Young was determined to finish the race, showing the grit that has carried her back onto one of athletics’ biggest stages.
While the cool Glasgow conditions were a far cry from the warm Bahamas, where she competed at the Commonwealth Youth Games almost a decade ago, Young said her focus throughout
the competition remained on her own performance rather than the athletes around her.
Now that her races are over, she hopes to take in more of the Games experience, including the chance to meet some of the athletes she has long admired.
For Young, Glasgow was more than a competition—it was another valuable step in her journey, proving she belongs on the same stage as the world’s best and giving her even more
motivation for the road ahead.
