Tough start for Trinidad and Tobago at U-20 World Champs

TRINIDAD AND Tobago had a tough start to their World Under-20 Track and Field Championships campaign on day one at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia on Monday.

Sprinters Revell Webster and Devin Augustine were unable to progress out of their respective men’s 100m heats.

Running out of lane four in heat two, Webster placed fifth in 10.62 seconds. Augustine placed seventh in 12.39s, in heat three. Neither athlete’s time fell within the top 23 advancing semi-finalists.

Only the top two from the eight heats plus the next best eight on times progressed to Tuesday’s semis.

Webster, who represents Concorde Athletic Club domestically, finished 35th overall among the 60 contestants while Augustine, from Point Fortin New Jets, was 59th.

On making his U20 Worlds debut, Webster told National Association of Athletics Administrations media, he was a bit disappointed but still pleased with his efforts.

“Getting on the track took hard work, dedication, training and correcting mistakes. I was excited. I may not have performed the way I would have liked but I know I did my best.”

Augustine, TT’s 2019 Carifta Boys U17 100m gold medallist, said he may have picked up an injury during his heat.

“I got out of the blocks good but halfway through the race I felt like my hamstring tweaked. When I continued to accelerate I felt like something pulled, so I stopped just to be sure,” he said.

Lalenni Grant did not progress past the women’s discus qualifying round.

Grant launched the disc 46.09 metres and placed 19th overall. She was unable to get within the top 12 advancing athletes.

TT returns to action on Tuesday in three events. Sprinter Natasha Fox gets her campaign under way running out of lane eight in heat three of the women’s 400m.

The first heat runs off from 10.35am (TT time). The first four finishers of each heat plus four fastest times qualify to semi-final.

Aaron Armstrong will contest group A of the men’s high jump from 10.20am. Athletes achieving a height of 2.16m gain automatic qualification to the next round. If this is not achieved, the top 12 performances move on.

Additionally, sprinters Shaniqua Bascombe and Kyah La Fortune vie for spots in the women’s 100m semi-finals.

Bascombe runs out of lane eight in heat two while La Fortune vies for a place from lane five in heat seven. They begin from 1.30pm.