media_artricles :: 2014

Track and Field returns to Arima on May 10

Michelle-Lee Ahye, Renny Quow and Emmanuel Callender will be among many top local track stars competing at the Arima Invitational Challenge at the Larry Gomes Stadium on May 10 as track and field returns to Arima.

Arima has not hosted a major track event since the 1970s, as the Hasely Crawford Stadium has hosted all the top local meets in recent times.

At the launch of the event yesterday at the Ministry of Sport, Kathleen Howell, the Public Relations officer spoke about the rich history of track and field in Arima. Howell said: “Arima has produced 15 Olympians in history, most recent in 2012 with Deon Lendore.” The 15 national Olympians will be honoured at the event.

Cecil Walker, the Executive Director of the meet also spoke proudly about track in Arima. He stated: “In the early times, the 1950s and 60s, we in Arima were involved in track on a very large scale, running on Pinto Road, Calvary Hill and the Arima Savannah. Out of these sessions came several outstanding athletes.” Walker said it was time for Arima to get back involved in the sport. This event will be the first track meet at the Larry Gomes Stadium since the track was resurfaced last year.

Ahye, who broke the national 60m record (7.10) in the semifinals at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Poland last month, will feature in the 100m and 200m. American athletes Shayala Mahan, Jessica Young and Nicole Davis will give Ahye some competition. Other national athletes carded to compete are Rondell Sorillo, Keston Bledman and Machel Cedenio. Canada, Jamaica, Grenada and Nigeria will also have representatives at the meet.

Top junior athletes in the Under-14, U-16, U-18 and U-20 age groups will participate. The committee, which plans to make it an annual event, said 30 events will take place from 5 pm – 8.45 pm. The main sponsors are the Ministry of Sport and the Sport Company of T&T (Sportt). Admission is free.

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