media_artricles :: 2015

Pan Am athletics team cut

Mark-Baird among trio dropped by APA

The Pan American Games athletics team has been cut from 35 to 32. The three athletes who will not travel to Toronto, Canada for the hemispheric multi-sport event are triple jumper Steve Waithe, discus thrower Emmanuel Stewart and heptathlete Marsha Mark-Baird.

National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) president, Ephraim Serrette told the Express, yesterday, that the cutting of the Trinidad and Tobago team was “beyond our control”. He explained that in an effort to limit the number of athletics competitors at the Games to 680, the Association of Panamerican Athletics (APA) recently produced revised qualifying standards.

“It is sad for the sport when they’re trying to dictate to countries the number of athletes to select. I could not understand how, at the 99th hour, about six weeks before our National Championships, APA could come up with revised standards, after we had established our standards since last year. APA was actually selecting our team for us.”

Serrette said that APA originally rejected six of the 35 athletes chosen by the NAAA for national duty in Toronto. In addition to Waithe, Stewart and Mark-Baird, triple jumper Elton Walcott, discus thrower Quincy Wilson and javelin thrower Shakiel Waithe were axed from the T&T team. The NAAA, however, was not prepared to accept that decision.

“We appealed through the Olympic Committee (TTOC),” Serrette explained, “for the inclusion of all six athletes. We were able to get three of them back on the team.

“As a former athlete,” the NAAA president continued, “I know it’s difficult for the athletes who are off the team. The only consolation is that they are all on the team for the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships, in early August. Champions at that meet qualify for the IAAF World Championships, if selected by their national federations.”

Other Caribbean teams, including the powerful Jamaicans, have also been affected by the revised APA standards for the Pan American Games.

“This is a slap in the face of athletics in the region,” said Serrette. “Had it not been so late, I might have been one to call for a boycott of the Pan Am Games. But arrangements were already in place for people to travel.”

The T&T Pan American Games athletics team will travel to Toronto on Friday. The first track and field events are scheduled for next Tuesday.

TRACK AND FIELD team

Men: Keston Bledman (100, 4x100), Marcus Duncan (100, 4x100), Kyle Greaux (200, 4x400), Rondel Sorrillo (200, 4x100), Machel Cedenio (400, 4x400), Renny Quow (400, 4x400), Mikel Thomas (110 hurdles, 4x100), Jehue Gordon (400 hurdles, 4x400), Emanuel Mayers (400 hurdles), Elton Walcott (triple jump), Quincy Wilson (discus), Keshorn Walcott (javelin), Shakiel Waithe (javelin), Emmanuel Callender (4x100), Dan-Neil Telesford (4x100), Jarrin Solomon (4x400), Lalonde Gordon (4x400)

Women: Kelly-Ann Baptiste (100, 4x100), Semoy Hackett (100, 4x100), Reyare Thomas (200, 4x100), Kamaria Durant (200, 4x100), Janeil Bellille (400, 4x400), Josanne Lucas (400 hurdles, 4x400), Sparkle McKnight (400 hurdles, 4x400), Deandra Daniel (high jump), Ayanna Alexander (triple jump), Cleopatra Borel (shot put), Lisa Wickham (4x100), Peli Alzola (4x100), Romona Modeste (4x400), Jessica James (4x400), Alena Brooks (4x400)

Officials: George Comissiong (manager), Ian Hypolite (head coach), Charlie Joseph (coach), Gunness Persad (coach), Nicconnor Alexander (coach), Robin Brereton (coach), Michelle Pennie (coach), Ismael Lopez Mastrapa (coach), Wade Franklyn (coach)

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