Expectations are high in anticipation of the caliber of competition that will be featured today at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in the third edition of the President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic.
While the event will be highlighted by the return of overseas-based track star and Linden native Marian Burnett who will compete in the women’s international 800 and 1500 metres, heated rivalry is also expected among the local talent pool.
With the sprint events (100 and 200m) missing the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) sprinting duo of Rupert Perry and Quinse Clarke along with Guyana Police Force’s Winston George, all of whom are currently in Jamaica on training stints, both events will be left wide open to the next best sprinters.
National 100 metres junior champion, Chavez Ageday, is tipped to win that event although he might receive some competition from GDF’s Akeem Stewart along with Linden’s own Winston Caesar.
Ageday has been in great form this season. His only downfall came at the CARIFTA Games this year where he failed to make it past the first round which can possibly be attributed to the horrid weather conditions at the games in Bermuda.
However, once conditions are right Ageday can possibly create some fireworks in the 100 metres event.
Meanwhile, the 200 metres men will take a different turn as a much better field of athletes can be expected to participate in this event.
Unlike the 100 metres, Ageday will have the tough task of running against his junior rival in Stephan James along with Caesar, Stewart and Patrick King, who was last year’s 400 metres champion at the President’s/Jefford Classic.
James will be the favourite to run away with the event as he has been very consistent during the season.
His only defeat has come from upstart sprinter Elton Bollers in a 200 metres event last month.
The 400 metres men will see the much-anticipated rematch between King and James.
King won last year’s event.
A different outcome is expected this time since James has been the more consistent athlete while King has mainly focused on the 200 metres so far this season.
Switching to the female events, sprint queen Alicia Fortune is expected to dominate the women’s 100 and 200 metres as she has seen no worthy adversary in the last four years.
The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) female Athlete-of-the-Year Natasha Alder is expected to dominate the field events. She is seemingly unstoppable in both the long and triple jumps along with the javelin and discus throws.
Looking at the distance events, the `Little Kenyan’ Cleveland Forde is expected to run away with the 5000 metres men. The local star has indicated that he is unfit to run both the 800 and 1500 metres but has not confirmed his non-participation in the shorter distances.
In the female version local distance queen Alika Moran will throw down the gauntlet to Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Marian Burnett in both the 800 and 1500 metres events.
The President’s/Jeford Track and Field Classic is slated to fire off from 11:00hrs today.
