media_artricles :: 2016

T&T’s finest ready to show off

T&T's finest will be on show starting today at the National Association for Athletic Administrations (NAAA) National Gas Company (NGC)/Sagicor Senior Championships, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

The weekend promises to be an exciting and interesting one as qualifying for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero in Brazil, will be on the minds of all competing at the senior meet.

Olympians Keshorn Walcott, Richard Thompson, Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Cleopatra Borel, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Lalonde Gordon, Jehue Gordon are just some of T&T's elite that will headline the Athletics Championships, which runs until Sunday.

Walcott, who shocked the world at the last Olympics winning gold in London, will entertain in the Sunday's men's javelin event, facing challenges from rising star and Rebirth clubmate Shakiel Waithe and youngster Tyriq Hosford of Zenith.

Walcott's season has produced mixed results. He enters with a fifth place finish in his most recent participation in the Diamond League in Stockholm with a best toss of 79.71 metres. This followed up his effort of 83.75m which won him gold at the Meeting Maia Cidade de Desporto in Portugal.

The reigning Olympic men's javelin champion will look to be at his best and try to improve on his previous showings.

This evening though, it will be the best of T&T's sprinters in action, trying to do enough to make it through to the next round when the preliminary round in the men's and women's 100m, 400m and 800m runs off.

To enter today will cost $25 and it will definitely be worth it as leading women's sprinters Ahye, Baptiste and making her debut Khalifa St Fort, world junior championships silver medalist, will race in the 100m.

St Fort, who is coached by one of T&T's best Ato Boldon, will represent the red, white and black again at the recently renamed World Under-20 Championships and is ready and willing to take on the responsibility of representing T&T also at the Olympics carded from August 5-21.

Thompson, Bledman, Burns, Rondell Sorillo, Emmanuel Callender, Darryl Brown are just some of the familiar faces of the 80 runners that will line up in the men's 100m.

The 400m is as competitive with the likes of Machel Cedenio, Deon Lendore, Renny Quow, Jarrin Solomon along with Lalonde Gordon, to name a few.

The selection policy is laid out clearly, the first two past the line provided that they have achieved the necessary qualifying standard, will automatically qualify to represent at the Olympics so all will be looking to be as good or better than the set mark in their respective events.

The men's and women's hammer throw will begin today's activities at 6 pm.

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