Under 18 and under 20 athletes hopeful for places in Guyana’s team to the 44th CARIFTA Games in St. Kitts and Nevis over the Easter weekend, will start their quest tomorrow when the two-day national trials runs off at the Camp Ayanganna ground. The athletes are scheduled to get in the blocks from 10:00hrs each day. Up to press time last night, the heat sheet, the document that lists the participants, had not been released to the media by the organizers so it was uncertain specifically which of the top junior athletes would be participating. However, the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and the 1500m will be the marquee events on the track during the weekend.
Under 18s
Multiple CARIFTA Games medalist, Cassie George (800m, 1500m and 3000m), along with Avon Samuels (200m and 400m),) and Jevina Sampson (200m and 400m) should be some of the under-18 stars that should shine on the track during this weekend.
Under20s
Sprinters, Tevin Garraway (100m, 200m), Tirana Mitchell (100m and 200m), Jason Yaw (200m and 400m) along with middle distance runner, Ornesto Thomas will headline the cast of the older age category.
Meanwhile, Region 9 – Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo has selected eight athletes to compete at this weekend’s trials.
They were selected last weekend when trials were held at the St, Ignatius Sports Complex.
The U-18 athletes are:
Semona Lawrence (1500m and 3000m), Kerry Joseph (100m and 200m) Brandon Parks (200m, 400m and 800m) and Nyron Edwards (3000m).
The U-20 Athletes are:
Mary Leandrew (400m, 800m and 1500m), Garville Daniels (100m and 200m), Deon Jackson (1500m, 5000m) and Leo King (High Jump).
The athletes must meet the qualifying standards set out by the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) in order to be considered for selection.
This year’s Games will be held from April 4 to 6 at the Silver Jubilee Stadium in Sugar City.
The CARIFTA Games is an annual athletics competition founded by the Caribbean Free Trade Association. Only countries associated with CARIFTA may compete in the competition, i.e. Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Montserrat and Belize. (Emmerson Campbell)
