- D.O.B.: January 20, 1980
- Height: 5ft 7in
- Weight: 110 lbs
- Place of Birth: St. Ann, Jamaica
- Marital Status: Single
- Present Coach: Nathaniel Page
Elva first represented Jamaica at the
1997 Pan American Junior Championships. Her first gold medal in the
senior ranks came at the 2002 Commonwealth Games where her triumph over
home favorite Jade Johnson provided her most pleasant moment in the
sport at the time, coming after her experiences of 2000 and 2001 when
she made the finals of the Olympic Games and World Championships but
could only manage 10th place on both occasions. Nevertheless, her
favorite track is in Edmonton where, with all of her country’s top
sprinters out injured, she was called upon to lead off the sprint relay
team which finished just out of the medals in fourth position. Trinidad
and Tobago sprinter Ato Boldon is her role model but the greatest
influence on her career has been provided by her parents and close
friends. Her favorite food is rice and peas with fish or curried
chicken. Leisure time is spent doing various activities including
swimming, dancing, baking, writing and playing basketball, which is her
favorite sport other than athletics, and ace player Michael Jordan is
her hero. Gospel is Elva’s first choice for music with her favorite
artist being Usher, and The Oprah Winfrey Show is her favorite
television viewing. Elva is a graduate of Auburn University in the
United States and she won the NCAA indoor double of the long jump and
triple jump in March 2003. Elva was the Jamaican National Champion in
Long jump in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
Career Highlights
|
International championships: |
| 1997 Pan American
Junior Championships |
1st long jump
|
| 1999 Pan American
Games |
3rd long jump
|
| 2000 Olympic Games
|
10th long jump
|
| 2001 CAC Games
|
10th long jump
|
| 2002 Commonwealth
Games |
1st long jump
|
| 2003 CAC Championships
|
1st long jump
|
|
Personal bests: |
| 100 meters
|
11.20 (2003)
|
| 200 meters
|
22.98 (2003)
|
| Long jump |
7.16m (Mexico City,
2004) |
| Triple Jump
|
13.78 (2003)
|
|