BARBADOS’ TOP achiever in the 2010 Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination did not let his studies distract him from his extra-curricular activities.Usually it may be the other way around but Mika Loustric told the DAILY NATION he would have been “unbalanced” if he had given up swimming; football; golf; piano or cricket.“I feel so good, I didn’t think I would do so well. I studies whenever I could even though sometimes I didn’t want to but if I had stopped playing sports, I would have been unbalanced. That kept me going,” he said.Mika and his parents, Silvia Loustric, who was born in Argentina and is a psychiatrist and Michel Loustric, who was born in France and is the general manager of a pharmaceutical company, were at the Wills Primary School when co-principal, Julie Franklin brought in the results.When Mika, who was born in Paris, France, but has been a resident here since he was four months old, saw he scored 98 per cent in English and 99 per cent in mathematics as well as an A in the composition and would be attending Harrison College in September, he jumped into his parents arms.He stood tallest among 3 673 students who did the national exam last month, getting a total score of 252.05 A.Mika, the headboy and a house captain, has a older sister, Ilona Loustric, who also went to Wills and was in the top ten of the exam in 2008. She is about to enter third form at Harrison College and was ninth best among primary students in the island. He also has a younger sister at Wills eager to follow in her elder siblings’ footsteps.Michel Loustric said his son was driven by his sister’s success and worked hard.“It is fantastic for him and a great feeling for us. He worked for it and challenged himself to perform as well as his big sister. He wanted to go to Harrison College and I guess that’s what drove him,” he said.His mother, Silvia Loustric said her son deserved his success and they felt “absolutely fabulous”.Franklin said they were “pleased and proud” but were not surprised, especially seeing how well his sister did two years ago.Mika is proof you can combine academics and sport. (CA/MK)
