Guyana’s premier 17 and under 19 athletes will get into their blocks today to compete at the Smalta National Youth and Juniors Track and Field Championships.
The annual fixture will run off at 10:00hrs for the first time at the newly commissioned National Track and Field Centre at Leonora where the athletes will be vying for selection on the Guyana team to the IAAF World Youth Championship in Colombia, July 15-19; the Pan American Junior Champion in Edmonton, Canada, July 31-August 2; and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, July 18-19.
The sum of 24 events for each category are scheduled for today with the 100m, 200m and 400m, 800m and 1500m races in the junior division billed to highlight the championships.
Cassey George, Andrea Fortune, Jason Yaw, Compton Caesar, Avon Samuels and Natricia Hooper are some of the marquee names to watch. The 800 and 1500m duel involving George and Fortune is sure to grab headlines after the drama that unfolded at the National Senior Championships two weeks ago.
During the launch of the event last week, the sponsors’ (Ansa McAL) PRO Darshanie Yussuf said that “We look forward to giving our young champions the opportunity to show off their amazing skills and excelling and we can only expect greater things from them. Smalta is happy to be onboard.”
Meanwhile, president of the Athletic Association of Guyana, Aubrey Hutson stated that “These athletes are highly ranked at the senior level and as junior athletes they are really and truly doing great for themselves.” He added that “With Smalta onboard now we are able to host a better tournament and we only hope that the athletes continue to support the brand since we know what Smalta can do for you as an athlete.”
