Greaux goes for 200m gold; Durant eyes spot in final

NARISSA FRASER

TRACK and field action continues today for TT at the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Kyle Greaux will aim for gold as he competes in the men’s 200-metre final. He placed second in his semi-final heat yesterday afternoon, clocking a direct qualifying time of 20.24 seconds. Canada’s Andre De Grasse won the heat in 20.08 seconds after a close race.

Greaux will face athletes from several countries, including USA’s Noah Lyles and Alex Quinonez of Ecuador. Lyles, 22, holds a personal and season’s best of 19.50 seconds and is the winner of the men’s 200m in the 2019 US Championships. He is also currently ranked number one in the world in the event. Quinonez won gold in the event at this year’s Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Jereem Richards failed to qualify after finishing fourth in heat one in 20.28 seconds. He had previously beaten Lyles in their qualifying heat on Sunday.

In the women’s category, Kamaria Durant placed second in her 200-metre heat yesterday morning, booking her spot in today’s semi-final. Fellow TT athlete Mauricia Prieto will miss out on semi-final action after placing sixth in her heat.

Durant clocked a time of 23.08 seconds after edging third-placed Shashalee Forbes, of Jamaica, to the finish line. Anthonique Strachan, of the Bahamas, won the race in 22.86 seconds.

Machel Cedenio will begin his Championship journey today as he competes in the men’s 400m qualifying heats. He has a season’s best of 44.52 seconds and a personal best of 44.01 seconds.

The 400m heats begin at 9.35 am, while the women’s 200m semi-final is at 2.45 pm and the men’s 200m final is at 3.40 pm.

The Championships end on October 6.