Local athletes get duathlon test ahead of Carifta

Trinidad and Tobago athletes gearing up for the 2022 Carifta Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships got some preparation on Sunday at the 2022 National Duathlon Championships held at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain.

The 2022 Carifta Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships will be held in Bermuda on September 24 and 25.

Only ten athletes will represent TT this year as the covid19 pandemic hampered the preparation of some of the athletes. Nine boys and one girl will make the trip to Bermuda. Leah De Freitas, who will compete in the 11-12 category, is the only girl on the team.

President of the TT Triathlon Federation Derek Daniel was satisfied that the TT athletes were able to get competition leading up to Carifta.

“We are two weeks out. This is very good preparation,” Daniel said.

“They are all in their national gear today and you can see most of them are out front, so they are doing really well.”

Daniel said the course on Sunday is similar to what the TT athletes will experience in Bermuda.

“We like this terrain because part of the run course at Carifta is on grass also, so it is good opportunity for them to run on grass also.”

Daniel expects a few of the TT athletes to be competitive.

“There are a couple athletes I think will do well. Jean Marc Granderson came out of the (2022) Commonwealth Games with us and did well in the relay so I expect him to do well…if not win it.”

Granderson will compete in the 20-21 male age group along with Florida-based Chad Hosein.

Daniel said James Castagne-Hay, 16, should also deliver a quality performance.

“Some of the other (TT) guys there are new on the course…we have Josiah Alexander (who) is a very good cyclist and swimmer and runner. So all-round we expect something from Josiah (boys 11-12). The others are brand new onto the team and it is a good opportunity for them to experience it because next year, more than likely, the race is going to be in Bahamas.”

On Sunday, in the mini duathlon category participants completed a 2.5K run, a 10K ride and then a 1.25K run.

Cristian Nelson took home the first prize in the boys category, Tristan Scott was second and Jadan Alexander rounded off the top three. Scott is a member of the TT Carifta team.

In the girls category, Shameka Hoyte claimed first place, Maleah Butler was second and Kaylee Young was third.

Castagne-Hay delivered a solid performance, finishing second in the sprint distance. Taking the gold was Dwayne Roach and copping third spot was Guswil George.

In the sprint category, athletes were required to complete a 5K run, a 20K ride followed by a 2.5K run.

“I was happy with the time,” Roach said after the race.

“I could always do better. I believe I was flawless on the bike.”

Roach thought he could have stayed closer to the leading pack in the first leg of the run.

On the race conditions, Roach said, “The conditions were great. The trees blocked the sun. It is just the course was muddy, it was uneven, so at one time I lost my step and kind of rolled my ankle (but) it was not too bad. The course itself is a challenging course. It is like a cross country race in a duathlon.”

In the sprint women’s category, Kaya Rankine-Beadle won gold, Barbadian Isis Gaskin was second and Khrystanne George ended third.

Rankine-Beadle was part of the TT triathlon relay team who competed at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in July/August.

Despite winning her category, Rankine-Beadle said, “I felt like I could have done a little better, but I think it was okay.”

Reflecting on her Commonwealth Games debut, she said, “That was a great experience, honestly. It was very surreal and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to go.”

In the standard distance (10K run, 40K ride, 5K run), 2022 Commonwealth Games representative Jason Costelloe won ahead of Guyanese Kelvin Johnson and Wesley Scott.