media_artricles :: 2017

Walcott, Ahye lead T&T medal hunt in England

Two-time Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott and sprint sensation Michelle-Lee Ahye will headline a 23-strong team selected to represent T&T at the IAAF World Championships in London, England from August 4-13.

There were no surprises on the list announced by the National Association of Athletics Administrations of T&T (NAAATT) yesterday as it was complete with this country's leading track and field stars, who have been excelling thus far this season.

Despite not competing at the recent NGC/Sagicor National Open Track and Field Championship held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain, Walcott of Rebirth Athletic Club earned his selection having bettered the 83.00 metres World qualifying standard in the javelin event, seven times this year at three different meets. It was reported that the London 2012 Olympic men's javelin champion was rested as a precautionary measure due to a sore back.

Ahye was another surety pick after boldly defending her double sprint titles at the recent Open Championships in record-breaking manner. She struck gold in a national record time of 10.82 seconds in the women's 100 metres then followed up with a 22.50-clocking to win the 200m.

She enters the Championships with a bronze medal in the women's 4x100 at the 2015 World Championships held in Beijing, China. Also on that team who were selected for London are Zenith duo Kelly-Ann Baptiste and Semoy Hackett and Khalifa St Fort (Unattached).

Nineteen year old St Fort and Jereem Richards were also record-breakers at the Open Championships. St Fort crossed in 11.06 to bag bronze and improve on her own T&T junior record in the women's 100m.

Richards of Abilene Wildcats ran a new championship record of 20.15 to capture the men's 200 metres title and will be aiming to impress on debut at the World Championships.

Machel Cedenio and Domonique Williams, who also repeated as the men's and women's champions in the 400m event are also part of the local squad. Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon will accompany Cedenio in the one-lap race.

Cedenio, a former World junior champion, will be looking to do the same at the senior level. He begins his warm-up for the World event on Thursday at the eighth meeting of the IAAF Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland in the same event.

Two-time Olympic medallists Emmanuel Callender, the new sprint champion, and Keston Bledman along with Olympian Rondell Sorrillo return to London's Olympic Stadium to bring the challenge to the rest of the world in the men's 100m.

Newly crowned 110m hurdles champion Ruebin Walters, an NCAA silver medallist, will also be making his first appearance at the World meet, which is set to unfold in just over four weeks. The team is not finalized yet as athletes that have not yet attained the IAAF World Championships qualifying standard and participated in the Open Championships are still eligible to qualify until the final entries deadline of July 23. Athletic Associations are allowed only three athletes per event.

The team departs on July 26, arriving in London the following day to attend a pre camp at Brunel University Kingston, London and then to the Games Village on August 1.

Women

100m: Michelle-Lee Ahye (Unattached), Kelly-Ann Baptiste (Zenith A/C), Khalifa St Fort (Unattached), Semoy Hackett (Zenith A/C)

200m: Semoy Hackett, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kayelle Clarke (PAP)

400m: Domonique Williams (Abilene Wildcats)

400m H: Sparkle Mc Knight (Abilene Wildcats)

4x100m: Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Khalifa St Fort, Semoy Hackett, Kayelle Clarke, Kamaria Durant (Simplex A/C)

Men

100m: Emmanuel Callender (Memphis Pioneers), Keston Bledman (Simplex A/C),

200m: Jereem Richards (Abilene Wildcats), Kyle Greaux (Abilene Wildcats)

400m: Lalonde Gordon (Unattached), Machel Cedenio (Simplex A/C)

110m H: Reubin Walters (Memphis Pioneers), Mikel Thomas (Memphis Pioneers)

Javelin Throw: Keshorn Walcott (Rebirth A/C)

4x100m: Emmanuel Callender, Keston Bledman, Rondell Sorrillo (La Brea A/C), Kyle Greaux, Moriba Morain (Simplex A/C), Dan-Neil Telesford (Abilene Wildcats)

4x400m: Machel Cedenio, Lalonde Gordon, Renny Quow (Zenith A/C), Jarrin Solomon (Memphis Pioneers), Joshua St Clair (Abilene Wildcats), Jereem Richards

Officials

• Manager Dexter Voisin
• Sprints and Hurdles: Ian Carter (head coach)
• Throws: Ismael Lopez-Mastrapa
• Sprints: Charles Joseph
• Sprints: Gunness Persad
• Sprints: Ken Barton
• Doctor Anyl Gopeesingh
• Physio Therapist: Akila Gomez
• Massage Therapist: Shurland Bonas
• Massage Therapist: Nicole Fuentes
• Massage Therapist: Anthony Walcott

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