By Juanita Hooper
Following their outstanding performances at CARIFTA Games and the Police Progressive Youth Festival, athletes Cassey George, Tiranna Mitchell, Alita Moore, Jason Yaw, Jevina Straker and Avon Samuels are expected to once again dominate this weekend’s Wartsila-sponsored Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) Youth/Junior Championships set for the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.
The 200m CARIFTA Games bronze medalist Mitchell is expected dominate the Youth 100m and 200m after her impressive victory over Moore in the women’s Invitational event at the Relay Festival two weeks ago.
Mitchell who is expected to represent Guyana at the upcoming July International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Junior Games in the city of Donetsk, Ukraine has personal best times in the 100m and 200m of 12.25 seconds and 24.05 seconds respectively;
Moore, however, will be looking to redeem herself in the 100m and 200m while Tiffany Carto will also be another junior athlete to watch in the sprint events especially in the 400m after an outstanding run at the Relay Festival in the Invitational Women’s 400m.
Samuels, Straker and Natrica Hooper will battle in the Youth girls’ 400m. Samuels’ experience from the CARIFTA Games after clocking 56.65 seconds at the CARIFTA Games.
All eyes will however be on George, a gold and silver medallist at the CARIFTA Games who will compete in the middle distance events.
In the male events, Tevin Garraway, who returned to track and field after last competing at the 2012 National Schools Championship at the Guyana National Stadium and CARIFTA Games 400m bronze medalist, Yaw will battle in the sprint events along with rising stars Dequan Van Cooteen, Kevin Abbensetts and Orlando Adams while Ornesto Thomas is expected to produce quality times in the middle distance events after recording 4:14.69 seconds and 1:58.81 seconds respectively in Trinidad and Tobago at the competing at Falcon Games in the 1500 and 800m respectively.
Meanwhile, Mark Scott, Competitions Director of the AAG said this weekend’s Youth/Junior Championship has attracted participants from the length and breadth of Guyana.
The two day championships he added, has a high entry level in both the Youth and Junior categories.
Scott said that the venue when examined, was in good condition for the competition and said the highlighting of the lanes concluded the preparations for the track.
Earlier in the year, the ground had been affected by high tides, which led to certain areas of the track being waterlogged leaving many of the outer lanes on the 400m track below par for competition.
For that reason, two events which were scheduled for the venue were postponed and relocated to the Guyana Defence Force ground at Camp Ayanganna.
Today’s events will get underway from 1pm with the long jump, javelin, shot putt, 100m, 1500m, and 10,000m. Officials are asked to report one hour prior the start of the championships.
