Iana Amsterdam recently enjoyed an impressive eight-day stretch. At the Patriot Invitational Series in Secaucus, NY on April 4, she won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.1 and the 200 in 25.0 and split 64 anchoring the first-place 4×400 relay (4:10.3). On Saturday at the Ranger Relays in Hardyston, she ran the second leg of the winning 4×100 relay (50.12), split 14.2 anchoring the winning shuttle hurdles team (1:07.18) and posted the best long jump mark (17-9) of the meet.
On Monday, back at the Patriot Series, she won the long jump with a 16-9 and the triple jump with a 36-1.
Iana will compete in the 200 dash, 100 hurdles and triple jump at the fourth Cougar Relays on Saturday at Shabazz Stadium in Newark.
Iana’s mother was a talented track athlete in Guyana, has been chosen to represent her mother’s homeland for the World Youth Championships on July 6-10 in Lille, France. As a tuneup for this event, Amsterdam will compete for Guyana at the Carifta Games on April 23-25 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Iana’s personal bests include: 12.23 in the 100, 25.24 in the 200, 57.29 in the 400, 15.09 in the 100 hurdles, 17-9 in the long jump and 39-7 1/4 in the triple jump. Amsterdam’s triple jump mark was achieved this past indoor season when she won the event at the Eastern States Championships in New York.
Iana’s goals: “I want to be in the top five in the hurdles and triple jump at the Meet of Champions. I’m concentrating on winning either one of those, but I think I have a better chance in the triple jump. Indoors.”
Iana’s sports career started with basketball when she entered a track meet for her elementary school. She entered the 400 and remembered not liking it but did well. Her friend then introduced her to coach Green who has since been very persistent in guiding her career.
