FOR Bermuda's Carifta Games high jump silver medallists, Latroya Darrell, winning is simply a family tradition.

Exemplifying the same outstanding athletic abilities her father once demonstrated in the boxing ring, Latroya is fast making a name for herself in her own right.

The 15-year-old CedarBridge Academy student and budding track and field star is the proud daughter of June Ann and former professional boxer Troy Darrell - himself a living legend.

Latroya recently won the girls Under-17 silver medal in the high jump and finished fourth overall in the girls Under-17 triple jump competitions at the prestigious track and field event in Trinidad. The talented teenager cleared the high jump bar at 1.68 metres and covered a distance of 11.55 metres in the triple jump - the same two events in which she captured silver medals at last year's Carifta Games in the Bahamas.

Latroya now hopes to soar to even higher heights by qualifying for July's IAAF World Youth Championships in Canada and next year's Carifta Games which will take place on local soil for the first time since 1980.

And with father Troy firmly rooting for her in the corner, it would be safe to say that this aspiring athlete is well on her way to doing just that.

"He's the same as any other normal father. And it's nice to have a father who has reached the top of his sport - he's always present by my side to offer good advice," said Latroya, who also hopes to one day become a paediatrician.

"I've managed to learn a few things from him and he always gives me advice on some of the things that I should and shouldn't do and other important things like how to breathe. He also trains with me sometimes by taking me on workouts and runs on the beach."

Reflecting on her recent exploits in the Caribbean, Latroya reckons the best is yet to come.

"I feel that I could have done better," she said. "I just think that I need more training and to improve my technique in the high jump. But it was another good experience - a little hot and the competition was extremely tough. Those girls were really tough."

However, at 15, Latroya certainly has time and plenty of room for growth.

"I still need to put more hard work into training," added the youngster, who took to the sport at the age of seven. Latroya also has ambitions of representing Bermuda at the Olympics in the future and obtaining a scholarship to attend college in the US.

"I am still trying to qualify for July's youth championships (IAAF) and hope to achieve that by the beginning of June," said Latroya, who has a very intense training schedule ahead of her this month.

Meanwhile, backing his ambitious daughter to the core, is none other then proud father Troy.

"Basically it's a whole different ballgame," said Troy, who compiled an impressive 26-3 professional boxing record between 1981 and 1992. Out of those 26 wins, 23 of them came via a knockout.

"The principal is the same. . . 'what you put in what's you get out'," he added.

"I just try to keep her focussed, positive and encourage her to stick to her goals.

"If you set goals, then you have to go and try to reach them. Even when things get a bit rough, you must keep going."

The former middleweight boxer, who rose to number three in the world, said that rain, blow or shine, his daughter always shows up for training at the National Sports Centre.

"She has that natural desire to win and she's not afraid to go out there and give it her best," added Troy. "When I take her out on runs, she always presses herself to the limit by trying to keep up with me. She's definitely got that type of energy and that mind set. So she's pretty sturdy and certainly doesn't take things for a joke - and that's good."

For those who can't recall, Troy Darrell lost to American Frank Tate in the North American Championship bout in 1987 shortly after losing out to Canada's Michael Olajide in an equally crucial bout in Atlantic City, New Jersey that was televised by the NBC network.

"Those two fights would have been a huge stepping stone for me," recalled Darrel who finally decided to hang up his gloves in 1992.

The former boxer in fact, still occasionally steps back into the ring these days - not to compete - but more to lend some of his vast knowledge of the sport to some of the island's up and coming prospects at the Warwick Community Centre.

And if anyone has any thoughts of seeing Latroya perhaps one day trade in her spikes for the gloves - think again. For unlike Muhammad Ali and George Foreman's equally famous daughters, this promising youngster is quite comfortable with track and field - that is - for the time being.