T&T at Carifta Games 2014: Boys Under 20 preview
Preview of Team T&T at the 33rd Carifta Games
Fort de France,Martinique
Fri April 18 to Mon April 21
Sportscoretobago.com
BOYS UNDER 20
100mJonathan Farinha is one of contenders for gold. Despite competing in his first serious 100m competition when he lined up at the Carifta trials he scorched the track at the Hasely Crawford Stadium with a barely wind aided (2.2) 10.18. The Abilene Wildcats will be looking to win T&T’s first medal since 2008 when Joel Dillon was third and this country’s first gold since Darryl Brown’s victory at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in 2003. Farinha is better known for his 200m running with his lanky, long strides. However, could he did what world record holder Usain Bolt did at the 2008 Beijing-defy the odds that tall men can excel at the 100m? Farinha’s path to gold is certainly not a given on as defending champion Zharnel Hughes of Anguilla and Jevaughn Minzie (Jamaica) who ran 10.12 and 10.16 to finish one-two at the Jamaican High School Championships. The national selectors may have a hard task choosing T&T’s other representative in the event as Micah Ballantyne beat John Mark Constantine for second at the Carifta trials 10.64 to 10.72 but Constantine sped to 10.56 in the semifinals.
2013-7th Constantine (10.72). Semis-11th Ayodelle Taffe 10.82
National junior record: Darryl Brown 10.01 (2003)
Carifta record: Yohan Blake (JAM) 10.11 (2007)
Last T&T winner: Darryl Brown (2003)
200mFarinha is expected to feature among the medals in this his favored event. The Queens Royal College student will be aiming to improve on his sixth place in last year’s finals. The 2013 World Youth fifth place finisher will no doubt be looking to add gold to the under 17 title he won in 2012. The Arima resident will be hoping to put T&T on the top of podium since Marc Burn’s win in the Bahamas in 2002. Farinha will be joined by club-mate Asa Guevera who clocked 21.14w at last’s weekend’s Falcon Games.
2013-bronze- Jereem Richards 20.69 w, 5th Farinha 21.03
National record: Darryl Brown 20.41 (2007)
Carifta record: Usain Bolt (JAM) 19.93 (2004)
Last T&T winner: Marc Burns (2002)
400mMachel Cedenio is the overwhelming favorite to take retain his title after his grabbed gold one year ago producing a strong finish to clock 45.93. The Simplex athlete qualified for Martinique taking the Carifta trials title in 46.27. Since his trials victory Cedenio has been training in the US preparing for his title defence. Guevera would be aiming to improve on his fifth place finish last year and join Cedenio on the podium.
2013-gold Machel Cedenio 45.93, 5th Asa Guevera 47.93
National record- Renny Quow 45.74 (2006)
Carifta record-Kirani James (GRN) 45.02 (2010)
Last T&T winner: Cedenio (2013)
800mNicholas Landeau will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Mark London and return the title to T&T after London’s triumph in 2013. The 2010 boys under 17 1500 and 3000m champion has been based in the UK for the past two years and spent some time training in Kenya among some of the world’s best distance runner. The Air Bon Sonics competitor will have rely on his over distance strength to win T&T’s third gold in a row and seven in the last nine years. Ashton Gill is making his Carifta debut. The Cougars athlete’s speed could ensure he gets a medal.
2013-gold Mark London 1:51.34
National record-Jamaal James 1:47.00 (2009)
Carifta record: Kenroy Levy (JAM) 1:48.95 (1987)
Last T&T winner: London (2013)
1500mLandeau’s chances for gold is stronger in this event and showed his readiness by clocking 3:57.69 at the Falcon Games. The Belmont Boys Secondary graduate will be looking to double as London did last year. Gill is T&T’s other competitor.
2013-gold Mark London 4:01.07, 7th Akeem Marshall 4:12.65
National record-Garvyn Nero 3:47.56 (2009)
Last T&T winner: London (2013)
5000mAkeem Marshall will be going for his second gold after taking last year’s race in a tactical run. The Toco Titan runner prepared for Martinique with a pb of 15:52.67 at the Falcon Games. Jevon Joseph could be T&T’s other entrant.
2013-gold Akeem Marshall 16:49.96
National record-Quintin John 14:58.46 (1991)
Carifta record: Kemoy Cambell (JAM)14:34.34 (2010)
Last T&T winner-Marshall (2013)
110m hurdlesRuebin Walters was one of several Carifta bound athletes who set personal bests at the Falcon Games. The Memphis Pioneers clocked 13.66 to match the time he ran to take bronze in 2012. Walters will be aiming to to win gold for T&T since Jehue Gordon in 2010. The CAC Junior champion will be looking to break Gordon’s Carifta record of 13.41. Aaron Lewis set pb of 14.01 behind Walters last weekend and will have to dip below 14 seconds to content for medal.
2013-bronze Ruebin Walters 13.66, 7th Christian Hoodboyce 14.67
National record-Jehue Gordon 13.41 (2010)
Carifta record: Gordon 13.31
Last T&T winner: Gordon (2010)
400m hurdlesWalters took bronze in 2013 and will fancy his chances of moving up on the podium. He will be joined by Lewis in the one lap race.
2013-bronze Walters 52.31
National record: Jehue Gordon 48.26 (2009)
Carifta record-Gordon 49.76 (2010)
Last T&T winner-Gordon (2010)
Shot putKenejah Williams is competing in his fifth Carifta Games and will be looking to strike gold. The Tobago Falcon athlete was sixth in 2013 and will rely on the competition to bring out his best as he has been hardly test on the local scene.
2013-gold-Hezekeil Romeo 18.66, 6th Kenejah Williams 16.15
National record-Robert Collingwood 18.99 (2009)
Carifta record-Ashinia Miller (JAM) 19.47 (2011)
Last T&T winner:Romeo (2013)
DiscusWilliams will be looking to add gold in this event following his victory at the under 17 level in 2012.
2013-6th Micah McNish 47.11, 8th Kenejah Williams 46.90
National record: Quincy Wilson 62.95 (2010)
Carifta record: Chad Wright (JAM) 63.11 (2010)
Last T&T Winner: Quincy Wilson (2009)
JavelinShaquille Waithe looks set to challenge Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott’s Games record of 77.59 following his 72.15 performance at the Carifta trial. The lanky Rebirth thrower has been training with Walcott and will no doubt want to improve on his fifth place finish in 2013.
2013:-6th Shaquille Waithe 54.90
National record-Keshorn Walcott 84.58 (2012)
Carifta record-Walcott 77.59 (2012)
Last T&T winner: Walcott (2012)
HeptathlonKevin Roberts will be aiming at becoming this country’s first ever winner in this event since 2000. Roberts and Victor Isaac took gold and silver at the 2012 CAC Juniors in El Salvador.
2013:dnf Roberts
Carifta record-Maurice Smith (JAM) 5623 (1999)
Last T&T winner: Allan Mitchell (2000)
4x100mFarinha, Constantine and Ballantyne will lead this country’s charge and will want to improve on the silver won in 2010, 2011 and 2013. The quartet warmed up clocking 40.21 at the Falcon Games.
2013-silver 40.36
National record:-39.17 (2002)
Carifta record-Jamaica 39.43 (2003)
Last T&T winner: 2005
4x400mCedenio and Guevera were on last year’s team which lost out to Jamaica as the two teams went under the games record of 3:07.10 (3:05.68 to 3:06.23). The last two times T&T were contenders for gold (2007 and 2013) the Jamaicans came up with record runs. This time around the clash could produce yet another record but with T&T coming out on top.
2013-silver 3:06.23
National record-3:05.70
Carifta record-Jamaica (3:05.68) 2013
Last T&T winner- 2000.
Look forward to the Girls Under 20 preview......