Canoe sprinter Josiah Clarke gets the ball rolling at Jnr Pan Am

CANOE sprinter Josiah Clarke will be TT’s first athlete to compete when the 2021 Junior Pan American Games begins in Cali, Colombia, on Thursday.

Clarke will line up in the K1 1,000-metre men’s canoe sprint at Lake Calima, on Thursday morning.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium, from 8 pm (TT time), on Thursday.

TT will be represented in eight sports at the games for Under-23 competitors including canoe sprint, boxing, track and field, cycling, swimming, triathlon, weightlifting and 3x3 basketball.

The local contingent of 40 includes 23 athletes and 17 officials. TT will be well-represented in swimming and track and field with six and five participants respectively.

Mutiple Carifta Games javelin gold medallist Tyriq Horsford is part of the track and field team. Kelsey Daniel, Clement Campbell, Ianna Roach and Anson Moses are also on the squad.

The swimmers vying for medals are Kael Yorke, Gabriela Donahue, Graham Chatoor, Nikoli Blackman, Zarek Wilson and Ornella Walker.

All athletes and officials at the games must be vaccinated. One TT athlete was forced to miss the games because of the strict covid19 measures or covid19 concerns.

TT CONTINGENT –

ATHLETICS: Tyriq Horsford, Kelsey Daniel, Ianna Roach, Clement Campbell, Anson Moses; Wendell Williams, Ismael Mastrapa (officials)

BOXING: Juan Rodriguez; Reynold Cox (official), Kirt Sinnette (coach)

CANOE SPRINT: Josiah Clarke; Matthew Robinson (official)

BASKETBALL 3x3: Jael Lewis, Jelani Valley, Ahkeem Boyd, Ahkeel Boyd; Arnold Thomas; Barry Stewart (official)

TRACK CYCLING: Michael Ackee, Tariq Woods, Zion Pulido, Syrese Christian; Roger Frontin, Gregory Dandrade, Kevin Tinto (officials)

SWIMMING: Kael Yorke, Gabriela Donahue, Graham Chatoor, Nikoli Blackman, Zarek Wilson Ornella Walker; Mosi Denoon (official)

TRIATHLON: Jean Marc Granderson; Jason Gooding (official)

WEIGHTLIFTING: Faianne Omalo; Anthony Marcano (official)

OFFICIALS: Diane Henderson - chef de mission, Rheeza Grant - covid19 liaison officer, Jelani Baptiste - physiotherapist/medical officer, Dennora George - massage therapist.