Burns, Brown head CAC Games 29.
By Kwame Williams.
Marc Burns, Darrel Brown, Candice Scott and Cleopatra Borel head a list of 29 athletes picked to represent T&T at the July 8 to 11 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Track and Field Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.
Burns and Brown, who won gold (9.96 seconds) and silver (9.99 secs), respectively, in the men’s 100 metres dash at last weekend’s Sagicor Open Championships, will go head-to-head in the men’s 100m at the CAC meet.
At the 2003 edition of the championships, Brown placed second (10.17) behind St Kitts and Nevis’ Kim Collins, while Burns finished third (10.29). The duo then combined with Jacey Harper and Nicconnor Alexander, who opted to miss this season in order to be with his pregnant wife, to win the sprint relay in a meet record 39.05 secs.
This time around, they will share a baton with newly-crowned national men’s 200m champion Aaron Armstrong and either Harper or Kevon Pierre when the men’s 4x100m relay event runs off. Armstrong is also carded to face the starter in the men’s 200m.
Borel, a shot put finalist at last year’s Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, will try to better her silver medal-winning performance from 2003 when she takes part in the women’s shot put competition. Scott, a two-time NCAA hammer throw gold medallist, will do battle in the hammer event.
Three-time national women’s 100m winner and defending CAC century dash queen Fana Ashby is also in the local line-up. Herself and Ayanna Hutchinson will contest the 100m and the 4x100m relay. Memphis Pioneers sprinter Wanda Hutson was also named to the team but after picking up an injury at the Sagicor Open Championships she will only make the trip subject to a fitness test.
Sherridan Kirk, another one of T&T’s 2003 CAC gold medal-winners, is listed for men’s 800m action, while US-based new-comers Sanchaze Ross and Chris Hercules will test their metal in the men’s 400m hurdles and triple jump, respectively.
National women’s sprint double champion Kelly Ann Baptiste will miss the CAC Championships because of school responsibilities (University of Louisiana). She will instead head to the July 29 to 31 Pan Am Junior Championships in Ontario, Canada, where she will go after 100 and 200m glory.
National Boys Under-17 sprint double winner Keston Bledman and Carifta Boys Under-20 400m king Renny Quow are also in the 23-man outfit that will take part in the Pan Am Junior meet.
CAC Senior Championships Team
Women: Fana Ashby (100m, 4x100m), Ayanna Hutchinson (100, 4x100), Melissa De Leon (800m, 4x400), Josanne Lucas (400m hurdles, 4x400), Candice Scott (hammer throw), Cleopatra Borel (shot put), Rhonda Watkins (long & high jumps), Sheron Mark (triple jump), Annie Alexander (discus), Kelsey Toussaint (400m), Nickiesha Charles (400m), Monique Cabral (4x100m), Wanda Hutson (4x100m).
Men: Marc Burns (100m, 4x100m), Darrel Brown (100m, 4x100), Aaron Armstrong (200, 4x100), Julieon Raeburn (200m, 4x400), Damion Barry (400m, 4x400), Ato Modibo (400m, 4x400), Sherridan Kirk (800, 4x400), Sanchaze Ross (400m hurdles), Chris Hercules (triple jump), Alan Mitchell (decathlon), Jacey Harper (4x100), Kevon Pierre (4x100), Melvin Nero (4x100m), Denzil Ramirez (half-marathon), Curtis Cox (half-marathon), Renny Quow (4x400).
Officials: Dexter Voisin (manager), Ian Hypolite (head-coach), Gunness Persaud (coach), Heathcliffe Thorne (jumps coach), Joyce Thomas (throws coach), David Cumberbatch (physiotherapist), Nicholas Zephrylius (physiotherapist).
Pan Am Junior Championships Team
Girls: Kelly Ann Baptiste (100m, 200m, 4x100), Monique Cabral (100m, 200m, 4x100), Pilar Mc Shine (1,500m), Rhonda Watkins (long & high jumps), Annie Alexander (discus, shot put), Cadajah Spencer (4x100), Jurnelle Francis (4x100), Sade St Louis (4x100, 4x400), Brittany St Louis (4x400), Latasha Roach (4x400), Jinelle Clarke (4x400), Shari Sampson (4x400).
Boys: Marcus Duncan (100m, 200m, 4x100), Keston Bledman (100, 4x100), Renny Quow (400m, 4x400), Jamil James (400, 4x100, 4x400), Jamal James (800m), Garvin Nero (1,500m), Dellon Williams (long jump), Kieron Anthony (4x100), Kervin Morgan (4x100, 4x400), Damon Douglas (4x400), Darmunt David (4x400).
Officials: Paul Voisin (manager), Kenny Bermudez (head-coach), Ken Barton (coach), Clayton Williams (coach), Linda Tang Yew (physiotherapist), Kariele De Bique (physiotherapist).
