Lewis pushing for excellence in sport

The name Leanna Lewis is fast becoming synonymous with excellence.

In the past three months, the 18 year-old St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua student has copped four majors awards in three sporting disciplines. {{more}}

The latest was her crowning as Senior girls champion and Victrix Ludorum at this year’s Container Corporation’s Inter-Schools Athletics meet, held last week,to follow her record breaking performance last year in the Senior Girls Discus. Then she threw 31.15M

Lewis won the Discus, placed second in the Shot Put and 200 M,and came in seventh position in the 100M and Long Jump. Lewis totalled 22 points.

These add to the accolades of senior netballer of the year, and best shooter in the just concluded Marriaqua tournament as well as being voted as the Most Valuable Player in the 2004-2005 Schools Basketball championship.

Underlining her class, Lewis featured prominently for Bustas at the senior women’s basketball tournament, which ended three weeks ago.

Although that tournament is yet to have its presentation ceremony, Lewis is expected to walk away with the tournament’s highest goal scorer award among others.

Amidst her achievements, the Richland Park athlete has been able to keep her feet on the ground and her goal of obtaining a basketball scholarship to one of the US colleges fixed on her agenda.

Such is her aim to hone her skills in North America, that Lewis has put on hold her participation in the current Cable & Wireless National Club Netball championships, to concentrate on her CXC examinations.

Lewis is hoping that her success in the sporting area, will be the same in her upcoming exams.

Lewis gained five passes at last year’s CXC sitting, and she is optimistic of adding five more subjects this year, to put her in favour with the higher demands by the colleges.

A strong believer in Christian principles, Lewis is banking on “sacrifice, commitment to God and concentration.”

These are the pillars on which she pins her aspirations.

With a physique exhibiting athleticism, Lewis attributes her meteoric rise in popularity to her family background.

“I am from a sporting family; my mother was a netballer, while my father played cricket,” Lewis said.

Her netball talents were first exposed while she was a Junior 4 student at the Richland Park Government School.The rest she said fell into place as she entered secondary school.

Lewis at present is entertaining the thought of specialising,though most of her national recognition has come from the sport of netball.

A former national Under-16 netball player , Lewis has also represented her country at the Under-23 and the senior levels, and is advising those willing to emulate her,” to concentrate on your books and keep focus”.