Three athletes achieve Pan Am U-20 standards at NAAA meet

Neon Wolves’ Aaron Antoine headlined the National Association of Athletics Administrations’ (NAAA) second Pan American Under-20 Championships preparation meet on Sunday as he secured qualification standards in the men’s under-20 high jump and long jump events.

At the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Antoine was one of three athletes who attained the required standard in their respective events for the October 22 meet in Santiago, Chile.

In the high jump, Antoine leapt over the two-metre bar to equal the Pan Am under-20 standard. He went on to surpass the long jump standard of 7.08 metres by launching to 7.15m on his final attempt in the sand pit.

Also securing national team spots were Anthony Diaz (Point Fortin New Jets) and Nathaniel Mathura (El Dorado East Secondary) in the men’s under-20 javelin.

Diaz launched the spear 60.55m on his first attempt. Mathura’s furthest throw travelled 60.30m. The pair’s efforts saw them surpass the Pan Am U-20 standard of 59.48m.

After the two-legs of U-20 preparation meets, NAAA president George Commissiong said the national team should be announced by Wednesday.

In other events on Sunday, Concorde’s Ravell Webster (10.84s), Phoenix Athletics’ Josiah Peters (11.01s) and Stallion’s Deondre John (11.03s) were the top three men’s U-20 100m sprinters, respectively. Pan Am’s qualification time is 10.61s.

In the women’s equivalent, Cougars’ Reneisha Andrews (12.26s), Mason Hall’s Jinell Campbell (12.94s) and Cougars’ Karessa Kirton (13.08s) got the 1-2-3 finish but fell short of 11.83s standard.

New Jets’ Cyrus Charles (11.17s) won the men’s U-23 100m followed by Stallion’s Mark Hamilton (11.20s) and Full Filling Athletics’ Zion Charles (11.40s), respectively.