Nine, that is the number of athletes that have qualified for this year’s CARIFTA Games in Jamaica following the third trials yesterday which was staged during the Athletics Association of Guyana’s Early Season Classic at the National Track and Field Centre.
However, according to president of the association, Aubrey Hutson, that number will increase since more meets are imminent and the body has until April 1 to submit its final list of representatives to the prestigious fixture.
Wesley Tyndall, Anisha Gibbons, Keliza Smith, Attoya Harvey, Adriel Austin, Shamar Horatio, along with Naris McPherson (800m), Javon Roberts (800m) and triple jumper Trevon Hamer are the nine qualifiers for the games.
Smith, 18, punched her ticket in the 100m and 200m, Tyndall (long jumper) and Gibbons (javelin) qualified in the field events while Austin and Harvey went under the qualifying standard in the 800m and 1500m.
Horatio, 19, qualified for the blue riband boys 17-19 100m and 200m events.
Yesterday, despite the torrential rainfall, the qualifiers displayed their class with scintillating performances running against the clock.
Smith recorded a sprint double in 11.85s and 24.67s, Austin ran a personal best in the 400m, clocking 56.73s, Tyndall leaped to 6.88m and Gibbons, a gold medalist at the last CARIFTA Games, threw 32.64m.
Yesterday also marked the return of Olympian, Emanuel Archibald on the local track. The Jamaica-based athlete was the fastest man on show, winning the marquee 100m and 200m events in 10.40s and 21.83s.
Jamaica is set to host this year’s Games from April 16 to 18 after receiving their government’s backing following the cancellation of the last two editions due to COVID-19.
The 2020 event was scheduled to be held in Bermuda but was then postponed to 2021 before being cancelled as a result of ongoing coronavirus-related concerns in that territory and worldwide.
