Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Sprinters will hold the spotlight on the opening day of the Sagicor Open National Championships later today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. The men’s race is the showpiece event. With no less than six runners emerging as contenders, two-time defending champion and double Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson will not surrender his title easily. Keston Bledman put up a formidable fight last year and had to settle for second in 10.03, 0.02 behind Thompson. The 2005 World Youth bronze medallist will again be going for the gold and is in his best form ever, dipping below ten seconds for the first time in his career. He sped to an impressive 9.93 in June to be ranked behind quadruple Olympic medallist Ato Boldon (9.86) and Thompson (9.89) on the T&T all-time list.
Commonwealth bronze medallist Aaron Armstrong and world junior record holder Darryl Brown will all be in the mix with both running their season’s best leading up to the meet. Emmanuel Callender, NCAA 200m champion Rondel Sorillo along with top juniors Moriba Morain and Jamol James are all expected to be in the final line up. Three-time World championship finalist Marc Burns should not be ruled out though having a low key season. Some fast times are expected on the new track. The heats are set for 3.45 pm with the finals carded for 6.10 pm. Semoy Hackett and Michelle Lee-Ahye will be ones to watch in the women’s dash.
Hackett, the 2009/2010 NCAA Division Two double sprint queen, won the CAC Championship dash in 11.27. The Tobagonian lass clocked a pb of 11.17 in May. Teenager Michelle Lee-Ahye has managed to overcome her injury woes that have hampered her earlier junior career and came through to take the Pan American Junior title in 11.25 (11.15w in the heats). The triple Carifta girls sprint champion lowered her personal best to 11.22 in July (heats-3.20 pm, finals-6.10 pm). NCAA double bronze medallist Annie Alexander will be favourite to sweep the Shot Put and Discus throws. The Burnley athlete captured the NCAA bronze in the Discus for her school Tennessee in June and set a national record of 58.58m. On Sunday she will return to go for the shot put crown. In the absence of the national record holder Cleopatra Borel Brown, Alexander should achieve the double.
Hileen James and Shawna Downey are contenders for top three finishes in both events. Another Alexander, Commonwealth silver medallist Ayanna will continue her lonely trek in the Women’s Triple Jump. At the Hampton Games, Ayanna raised her national outdoor mark to 13.98m and won the Central American and Caribbean Championships title in Puerto Rico in July (and qualified for the World Championships as an area champion). Quincy Wilson will be looking to improve his men’s Discus national mark for the third time this season. The former multiple Carifta champion threw 58.66m at the Hampton Games in July and is keeping an eye on the World Championships B mark of 63m. Reigning World bronze medallist Renny Quow will be seeking to reclaim his national 400m title. Quow contested the 200m last year. He warmed up for the championship with his second CAC title in Puerto Rico and will be up against 2010 national winner Zwede Hewitt, Lalonde Gordon, Jarrid Solomon and teenager Deon Lendore, all of whom will be gunning for the 45.25 World Championships A qualifying mark. The heats will start at 9 am and the finals 5.45 pm.