Trinidad and Tobago junior athletes shine at Abilene Classic

Trinidad and Tobago's top junior athletes stole the show at the Abilene Wildcats Track Classic at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Saturday with a number of thrilling performances.

Carifta 2024 medallists Kyah Hyson, Symphony Patrick and brothers Hakeem Chinapoo and Kadeem Chinapoo were all among the gold-medal winners. In a blast from the past, 2017 World Championship gold medallist Renny Quow also showed his mettle as he came away with top honours in the men’s 400-metre event.

Kadeem, one of three individual gold medallists at the 2024 Carifta Games for team TTO, flexed his muscles in the boys’ under-17 100-metre event on the weekend when he sped across the line in 11.03 seconds to take first-place for Simplex Athletic Club. Cougars Track and Field athlete Jonas Guytan finished second in 11.15 seconds, with Burnley Athletic Club’s Tequan John (11.30 seconds) finishing in third.

Hakeem also ascended to a sprint title, as he took the boys’ under-20 100-metre in 10.57 seconds – just edging Burnley’s Trevaughn Stewart (10.60 seconds) into second. Che Wickham, who formed part of the TT quartet which won the boys’ under-20 4x100-metre gold medal at Carifta in Grenada two months ago, placed third in 10.70 seconds.

In the men’s 100-metre sprint final, Abilene’s Adell Colthrust earned the title for the home club when he stormed to victory in 10.46 seconds. Simplex Athletic Club’s Raheem McCalman (10.56 seconds) finished second.

The female sprint events also caught the attention of the spectators as they were treated to a few exciting finishes. In the girls’ under-17 100-metre event, Alpha Athletics Club’s Mikayla Granderson (12.53 seconds) just emerged as the overall winner with a time of 12.53 seconds. IG Fastlane’s Laqesha Robley (12.58 seconds) finished second, with Phoenix Athletics’ Kioni Devenish finishing an agonising third in 12.61 seconds.

The women’s 100-metre final threw up an interesting battle between Kadija Pickering and Carifta silver medallist Symphony Patrick. The latter athlete took the gold medal in 11.93 seconds to edge Abilene’s Pickering (12.08 seconds) into second.

Pickering wasn’t to be denied in the women’s 200-metre, though, and she blazed the field to take the top spot in 24.85 seconds. Memphis Pioneers’ Imani Mills grabbed second in 25.58 seconds, with Angel Cumberbatch third in 25.71 seconds.

The competitors in the 400-metre event weren’t to be left out of the action, and Carifta bronze medallist Kyah Hyson showed her class when she pulled away from the field to get a comfortable win in the girls’ under-17 400-metre in 56.96 seconds. Zariah Pascall was a distant second in 59.52 seconds.

In the men’s 400-metre event, the 36-year-old Quow showed off all his experience when he grabbed first place in 47.37 seconds – just bettering the Memphis pair of Rinaldo Moore (47.47 seconds) and Stefan Camejo (47.49 seconds). Abilene’s Che Lara, who was a member of the TT quartet which booked Paris 2024 Olympic qualification in the men’s 4x400-metre relay last month, finished fourth in 47.55 seconds.

The Cougars club showed off their own efficiency with the baton at the Abilene meet, as their youngsters sped to four out of ten titles in the varying age groups of the 4x100-metre relay event.