Several standout athletes made hay in the brilliant sunshine yesterday at the National Track and Field Centre, some recording personal best performances but the number remained at nine qualifiers for this year’s CARIFTA Games in Jamaica.
Karese Lloyd sprinted to a personal best 11.84s in the blue riband 100m event placing second to Keliza Smith (11.82) who has already punched her ticket to the Easter weekend Games in the 100m and 200m events.
All eyes were on the diminutive Lloyd to reach or surpass the 11.80s qualifying mark after she cruised to 11.93 earlier in the prelims. But after a blistering start and a perfect drive phase, she was surpassed by the surging Smith in the latter third of the race.
considered to represent the 592 at this year’s CARIFTA Games. Harvey has already qualified for the event in Jamaica. (Emmerson Campbell photo)
It was bitter sweet for the Running Brave standout who ran her best race ever but fell short of the standard to reach Jamaica.
Lloyd and other athletes will have another chance to punch their tickets to the games today from when the curtains come down on the fourth and final trials.
Lloyd, along with Shaquka Tyrell (1500m) and other athletes who are close to the qualifying standard, will be considered for selection according to President of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) Aubrey Hutson.
“We have to look at relays and athletes in the diaspora who are performing close to the standards that we have set for Jamaica. We have until April 1 to select our final team,” he said.
Nine athletes, Wesley Tyndall, Anisha Gibbons, Smith, Attoya Harvey, Adriel Austin, Shamar Horatio, Naris McPherson (800m) along with Javon Roberts (800m) and triple jumper Trevon Hamer qualified 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.
Hutson also told this publication that he envisions at least three more joining the qualifiers.
The trials are being used to select Guyana’s team to the 49th edition of the event.
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. Guyana is scheduled to host the fixture next year.
