Shaniqua Bascombe, Kaiyin Morris keen to test progress at Open Champs

TRINIDAD and Tobago Carifta athletes Shaniqua Bascombe and Kaiyin Morris are anticipating the opportunity to test their progress against senior athletes when the National Gas Company National Association of Athletics Administrations Open Championships are held at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, from Friday-Sunday.

Both Bascombe and Morris won medals for TT at the Carifta Games held in Kingston, Jamaica, in April.

Bascombe and Morris spoke to Newsday during a training session with their club Cougars at Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Wednesday.

Bascombe, who will be running in the women’s 100-metre and 200m events at the open champs, said, “I am hoping to gain a new PB (personal best) because in Carifta Games I was not expecting to make 11.50 (in the 100m). I was expecting to make about 11.3, 11.4. I still made a PB and I am proud about it.

At the Carifa Games, Bascombe earned girls Under-20 200m silver, 100m bronze and 4x100m relay bronze.

She is eager to run against TT’s top women’s sprinters.

“I am looking forward to make the A final with Michelle-Lee Ahye, Khalifa St Fort and Ayla Stanisclaus in the 100m. In the 200m, I don’t know who will be competing.”

Following the open championships, Bascombe is targeting other meets both locally and overseas.

“The junior championships are next month and the Commonwealth Games is August and then it have the World Juniors. The two major games that I am looking to take part in is Commonwealth Games and World Juniors.”

Bascombe is hoping the fans come out to support the athletes.

Morris, who will be aiming for a place in the men’s 400m final, has worked at the open champs before, but now wants to match his development against the senior athletes.

“It feels pretty surreal because I came from a long way from carrying the baskets to being on the line with some of the best persons (athletes) in the country who I look up to.”

Morris believes this weekend’s meet will a gauge for him.

“I expect to get an awakening experience, something to show me where I am in the game.”

Morris earned a bronze medal in the boys Under-17 400m event and silver in the 4x400m relay at the Carifta Games.

The men’s 400m event has been one of TT’s most successful events over the past decade earning multiple medals including in the 4x400m relay.

Morris said this weekend will be memorable.

“Some of the athletes will be Machel Cedenio, Jereem Richards, Asa Guevara (and) Renny Quow - some of the biggest athletes who have done a lot for their country. It will be very scary (competing against them), but at the same time very good because I have nothing really to lose but a lot to gain from them. It will be a very good experience competing with them.”

Morris, like Bascombe, wants to compete at the World Junior Championships.