Nine track and field athletes earn Carifta spots

NINE national athletes achieved Carifta qualification standards after two days of National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) preparations meets at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, over the weekend.

Cougars’ sprinter Shaniqua Bascombe was the only TT athlete to secure two qualification spots; women’s 100 and 200-metre events.

On Sunday, she won the girls’ Under-20 100m in 11.70 seconds, dipping below the 11.97s qualifying standard. She also bettered the 200m standard of 24.58s when she again topped the field in the 200m distance in 24.53s.

Bascombe’s clubmate Renisha Andrews also secured qualification in the girls’ Under-20 100m as she placed second in 11.97s to match the required standard.

Cougars will be well represented on the national team as Dylan Woodruffe championed the boys’ Under-17 200m to win in 22.26s, surpassing the 22.40s standard.

Additionally, Tahari Waldron (Cougars) topped the boys’ Under-20 5000m event in fifteen minutes and 50 seconds (15:50). He also dipped under the 16:56.00 Carifta requirement.

In the boys’ Under-17 100m, Memphis Pioneers’ Jomario Russell squeezed into the national team with an 11.19s time. The qualification time in this event was 11.20s.

Russell’s club mate Cyril Summer also affirmed a Carifta spot when he clocked 48.02s in the boys’ Under-20 400m. The standard here was 48.50s.

In the field events, Burnely’s Peyton Winter threw the sphere 12.46m, bettering the girls’ Under-17 12.19m standard.

And in the girl’s Under-18 javelin, Kenika Caesar made light work of the 36.08m standard by launching the spear 46.43m. Likewise, Point Fortin New Jets’ Anthony Diaz, in the boys’ Under-20 javelin, threw 59.40m to surpass the 58.40m requirement.

The Carifta Games will be held in Jamaica from April 16 to 18.