Plans are on stream for the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) to stage a two-day meet dubbed the ‘Early Season Classic’ for juniors and seniors at the National Track and Field Centre from March 14.
According to President of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson, the meet will be used by the senior athletes to attract attention for invites to Grand Prix events and Diamond League meets while the teen athletes will have their final chance to qualify for the CARIFTA Games.
“This will be an event where junior and senior athletes will be competing against each other,” said Hutson.
Hutson suggested that the seniors will push the teen stars to the hilt while the juniors will look to upstage their more experienced counterparts.
“It’s a win win for both the juniors and the seniors,” said Huston who pointed out that the pride of the senior athletes will see them bringing their A game to quell any thoughts of bragging rights by the younger athletes.
So far, 12 athletes have qualified for the 2020 CARIFTA Games which will be staged in Bermuda during the Easter Weekend.
Attoya Harvey (1500m Girls U-17), Sheama Tyrell (3000m Female open), Seon Booker (1500m Boys U-17), Anisha Gibbons (Javelin Girls U-17) , Kenisha Phillips (200m Girls U-20) Adriel Austin (800m Girls U-17), Princess Browne (Triple Jump Girls U-20), Wesley Tyndall (Long Jump Boys U-17) , Keliza Smith (Long Jump Girls U-20), Annalisa Barclay (Long Jump Girls U-20) along with Trevon Hamer (Triple Jump Boys U-17) and Randy Hamilton (Javelin Boys U-20) were the athletes who equaled or bettered the AAG qualifying standard in their respective events.
Hutson told this publication that the association is optimistic that more athletes will be added to the team following the third and final trials next weekend.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Archibald, Davin Fraser, Akeem Stewart, Cleveland Thomas and Tonya Rawlins are some of the notable senior athletes scheduled to get into the blocks when the event runs off from 10:00hrs.
