Brown, Burns face the starter-Sagicor National Open Championships

[real madness]

Trinidad Express
Brown, Burns face the starter

Sagicor National Open Championships

Kwame Laurence klaurence@trinidadexpress.com


Friday, June 22nd 2007

Darrel Brown and Marc Burns head the list of Trinidad and Tobago track stars who will be on show in Sagicor National Open Track and Field Championship preliminary round heats, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium today.

Brown, who clocked 10.02 seconds in his 2007 century opener, in Jamaica last month, has been drawn in the fifth of seven men's 100 metres heats. The 2001 National Championship gold medallist will square off against defending champion Jacey Harper.

Burns will face the starter at 6.15 p.m., in the very first heat. The 24-year-old sprinter won the national title in 2002 and again in 2005, when he clocked a championship record 9.96 seconds.

A cash prize of $10,000 is on offer this year for a new record in the men's 100m.

Nicconnor Alexander squares off against Marcus Duncan in an interesting heat four match-up. And in heat seven, 19-year-old sprint sensation Keston Bledman will do battle with Kevon Pierre.

Also listed to compete in the event are Aaron Armstrong (heat two), Richard Thompson (heat three) and Melvin Nero (heat six).

The top two in each heat and the two "fastest losers" will advance to tomorrow's semis.

Alexander and Duncan will again go head-to-head in heat four of the men's 200m. Armstrong, who is chasing a hat-trick of half-lap triumphs, will run in the opening heat.

Action at the Crawford Stadium today starts at 6 p.m. with the women's 100m preliminaries.

A notable absentee is reigning champion Kelly-Ann Baptiste. The 20-year-old Louisiana State University (LSU) student sustained a back injury during the American collegiate season, and is out for the rest of the year.

In the absence of the 2005/2006 champion, Fana Ashby is the woman to beat. Ashby, a six-time National Championship 100m gold medallist, will run in the third of three heats. Ayanna Hutchinson, Nandelle Cameron, Sasha Springer and Semoy Hackett are among the sprinters hoping to upstage Ashby at the Sagicor-sponsored meet.

Ashby, Hutchinson, Cameron, Springer and Hackett as well as 17-year-old Britney St Louis, Kelsey Toussaint, Dana Massiah and Nickeisha Charles are among the starters in the women's 200m preliminaries.

Natalie Dixon, St Louis, Toussaint, Massiah, Charles and Janeil Bellille will all be in action in the women's 400m qualifying round.

On current form, reigning world junior champion Renny Quow and Ato Modibo are the favourites in the men's 400m.

Quow opens the defence of his national one-lap title with a heat four outing in today's preliminaries. Modibo has been drawn in heat three. Three-time champion Damion Barry clashes with Jarrin Solomon in heat two, and Jamil James takes on Simon Pierre in the sixth and final heat.

Sherridan Kirk is listed to face the starter in the opening one-lap heat. It is in the men's 800m, though, that he has made his name at the National Championships. Kirk has won seven two-lap titles on the trot, and is tipped to make it eight straight on Sunday. Today, the 26-year-old half-miler runs in heat three, while his chief rivals-national junior record holder Jamaal James and Haitian Moise Joseph-face each other in heat one.

[Aviator]

I hope someone in Trini could give us some updates, because i really don't feel like waiting a day to see it in the express. The NAAA site isn't fully functional yet and it doesn't lok like they will have anything about it.

[Ngozi]

based on what Im seeing it look like we have a bunch of 10.2 sprinters ....sigh

[Trini _2026]

boy they nearly mash up kelly-ann out fuh the rest of the season them coaches 

[A.B.]

Steups....if someone has a number for her (Kelly-Ann) please let me have it.  Enough is enough.

[Patterson]

TV6 news just said darrel brown won the finals in 9.88 secs.......and the 2nd place finisher was 9.95 secs.....any confirmation of these times??

[fLaSh]

1. Darrel Brown 9.88
2. Richard Thompson 9.95
3. Keston Bledman 10.05
4. Marc Burns 10.06
5. Jacey Harper 10.15
6. Emmanuel Callender 10.18
7. Nicconor Alexander 10.29
8. Melvin Nero 10.30

Wind for the final was an illegal +3.0. Thompson had fastest time in qualifying with 10.09. Not sure if that was a legal time

[Trini _2026]

would that  9.88 would be equivalent to  9.95 + 2.0  meter wind

[Aviator]

would that  9.88 would be equivalent to  9.95 + 2.0  meter wind

Close, it is equivalent to 9.93 with a 2.0m/s wind and its 10.01 with no wind, so he is definetly getting faster.

[jai john]

would that  9.88 would be equivalent to  9.95 + 2.0  meter wind

i think that is equal to a big fat 0 as it was an illegal wind.

[jai john]

BROWN ..yeah man ...show me the tape somebody please !

[truetrini]

would that  9.88 would be equivalent to  9.95 + 2.0  meter wind

yuh cyar show yuh Jack Warner loving face in de football forum eh....lol

[jai john]

Steups....if someone has a number for her (Kelly-Ann) please let me have it.  Enough is enough.

It would be nice if you could help the girl.

[Ngozi]

1. Darrel Brown 9.88
2. Richard Thompson 9.95
3. Keston Bledman 10.05
4. Marc Burns 10.06
5. Jacey Harper 10.15
6. Emmanuel Callender 10.18
7. Nicconor Alexander 10.29
8. Melvin Nero 10.30

Wind for the final was an illegal +3.0. Thompson had fastest time in qualifying with 10.09. Not sure if that was a legal time

Burnsy burns what goin on  feella?

[A.B.]

Kelly don't need help she needs a better situation with someone who wants it for her not someone who needs her to make their school team better...

[Marlon]

Close, it is equivalent to 9.93 with a 2.0m/s wind and its 10.01 with no wind, so he is definetly getting faster.

Hello all.

Ato, I've been a member of your forum under a different handle, since around 2002-2003, though I rarely post. Some time back, someone posted a link where times can be converted through elevation and wind etc etc. Can you or Mr. Aviator post that link for me please, as I lost the one I had.

Thanks in advance.

[willi]

Close, it is equivalent to 9.93 with a 2.0m/s wind and its 10.01 with no wind, so he is definetly getting faster.

Hello all.

Ato, I've been a member of your forum under a different handle, since around 2002-2003, though I rarely post. Some time back, someone posted a link where times can be converted through elevation and wind etc etc. Can you or Mr. Aviator post that link for me please, as I lost the one I had.

Thanks in advance.

http://myweb.lmu.edu/jmureika/track/wind/index.html

[Aviator]

Here is  a low quality video of the race. I wish Thompson had that start two weeks ago at NC's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4da5nUhrJY&mode=related&search=

[Mr Mc]

Kelly don't need help she needs a better situation with someone who wants it for her not someone who needs her to make their school team better...

That may very well be the case, I know for a fact that Nandelle Cameron was nursing a hammy, and the coach would not let it rest or get the right treatment for it.
Luckily she got some rest over the break and making her name now.
Anybody know how she did in the womens 100 and 200m?

[jai john]

Here is  a low quality video of the race. I wish Thompson had that start two weeks ago at NC's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4da5nUhrJY&mode=related&search=

thanks a lot for the video. i wonder if brown should not take some jon drummond lessons himself ?

[Aviator]

Here is  a low quality video of the race. I wish Thompson had that start two weeks ago at NC's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4da5nUhrJY&mode=related&search=

thanks a lot for the video. i wonder if brown should not take some jon drummond lessons himself ?

Brown's start isn't the greatest, but he got out slower than normal, because he was told to do so by Franno, as he was only to do enough to win. He only started pressing when Thompson started running away from him.

Well if Bledman and Thompson can hold their form, we coould see sub-38 from our 4x1. Burns will be his usual 10.1x self by the time Osaka comes along, and if you look at the 2005 race, if it wasn't for that botched last pass we would have most likely gone under and definetly would have won. The Pan Am games should give us a glismp of what they will be able to do come Osaka.

[Swima]

Bledman ran a legal 10.14 in the semis? How nobody ehn acknoledging our second fastset Junior ever? I think that is pretty damn impressive.

[Swima]

Here is  a low quality video of the race. I wish Thompson had that start two weeks ago at NC's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4da5nUhrJY&mode=related&search=

thanks a lot for the video. i wonder if brown should not take some jon drummond lessons himself ?

Brown's start isn't the greatest, but he got out slower than normal, because he was told to do so by Franno, as he was only to do enough to win. He only started pressing when Thompson started running away from him.

Well if Bledman and Thompson can hold their form, we coould see sub-38 from our 4x1. Burns will be his usual 10.1x self by the time Osaka comes along, and if you look at the 2005 race, if it wasn't for that botched last pass we would have most likely gone under and definetly would have won. The Pan Am games should give us a glismp of what they will be able to do come Osaka.

Pan Am will truly be a blessing as it would give those guys a chance for a dress rehearsal this year. I still bennin on Osaka all now. Lewis Francis hang on by a thread in that race.

[Ngozi]

Here is  a low quality video of the race. I wish Thompson had that start two weeks ago at NC's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4da5nUhrJY&mode=related&search=

thanks a lot for the video. i wonder if brown should not take some jon drummond lessons himself ?

Brown's start isn't the greatest, but he got out slower than normal, because he was told to do so by Franno, as he was only to do enough to win. He only started pressing when Thompson started running away from him.

Well if Bledman and Thompson can hold their form, we coould see sub-38 from our 4x1. Burns will be his usual 10.1x self by the time Osaka comes along, and if you look at the 2005 race, if it wasn't for that botched last pass we would have most likely gone under and definetly would have won. The Pan Am games should give us a glismp of what they will be able to do come Osaka.

I dont think he's adapted to his wieght increase as yet he normally gets out better he's been getting out fairly slow this year but he has a decent pickup but if he gets behind gay or asafa he doesnt seem to be explosive enough to make it up so he has to get out better and hold it.....people may laugh at this  but I think that his running style and technique looks so comfortable that if someone harnesses that he can be better than asafa but to me hes not putting in the work to beat these guys he wont run two hundreds and four hundreds and it shows

[daryn]

hes not putting in the work to beat these guys he wont run two hundreds and four hundreds and it shows

I don't think this criticism is valid anymore.  He's run quite a few this season.  I'm not an expert but it seems like the times he is running are good when you consider what he was doing last year.

right now he is just playing catch up, that's all.  he probably shoulda changed training camps a season or two earlier, instead his career just stagnated.  hopefully Burns can get back in the game too.

[real madness]

hes not putting in the work to beat these guys he wont run two hundreds and four hundreds and it shows

I don't think this criticism is valid anymore.  He's run quite a few this season.  I'm not an expert but it seems like the times he is running are good when you consider what he was doing last year.

right now he is just playing catch up, that's all.  he probably shoulda changed training camps a season or two earlier, instead his career just stagnated.  hopefully Burns can get back in the game too.

I agree...as for burns he needs to join a better camp, it would be nice if he could join up with brown and asafa

[daryn]

when brown first made the move Ato hinted here, that the whole Nike v Adidas thing might have been a barrier to Burns moving also.  wherever he going he need to go fast.  he done miss qualification for the world championships.

T&T has a good crop of young track athletes.  the way things going in football and cricket dey might be the only source of good news on the sports front for a lil while.

[real madness]

tnt always had talent but track and field is the stepchild, since ato came on the scene things improve to an extent but there is a long way to go because the powers that be are waggonists so they only involve when an athlete winning i.e. ato.

[A.B.]

I really wish I could share the optimism about our track fortunes but we are doing things the wrong way system wise, while sinking how much into giving this idiot PM's idiot son money for basketball....look, there are some sports we just shouldn't be spending a whole set of money on and basketball is one of them....

and who vex I say it lorse....in Brazil you think they spend that kind of money on cricket? swimming?  No! Why not, you think?  And then he has the nerve to talk about "there is no one in the country better suited to be a basketball administratior than me? Really? How can we actually PROVE or disprove that? What a joke!

This genius called Ferreira who is running SPORTT doesnt have a clue (the same man who went on Andre Baptiste's radio and said he had never even been to the BCL Stadium some time ago), I told him to go look at how the Aussies do it and implement it in tnt.  HE did not, but he did take his ass to Australia for d trip for Commonwealth Games. Great.

I give up.

I telling you now, you can't put your eggs in a Brown or Burns basket because if that basket tip over, we are screwed.  Right now, the way it looks, Rhonda Watkins looks like she will factor in Osaka, and that is about it.  I ent hating and I ent doubting, but after seeing the US and Jamaican trials, I dont see where our medals are going to come from.

If Darrel goes to Europe and starts to (finally) run some sub-tens when people are next to him I may start to feel better.  Burns is a write off already for 2007.   No one else has the experience or times to run a medal winning time.
The best news of the weekend was the future find in Bledman stepping up.

[jai john]

I really wish I could share the optimism about our track fortunes but we are doing things the wrong way system wise, while sinking how much into giving this idiot PM's idiot son money for basketball....look, there are some sports we just shouldn't be spending a whole set of money on and basketball is one of them....

and who vex I say it lorse....in Brazil you think they spend that kind of money on cricket? swimming?  No! Why not, you think?  And then he has the nerve to talk about "there is no one in the country better suited to be a basketball administratior than me? Really? How can we actually PROVE or disprove that? What a joke!

This genius called Ferreira who is running SPORTT doesnt have a clue (the same man who went on Andre Baptiste's radio and said he had never even been to the BCL Stadium some time ago), I told him to go look at how the Aussies do it and implement it in tnt.  HE did not, but he did take his ass to Australia for d trip for Commonwealth Games. Great.

I give up.

I telling you now, you can't put your eggs in a Brown or Burns basket because if that basket tip over, we are screwed.  Right now, the way it looks, Rhonda Watkins looks like she will factor in Osaka, and that is about it.  I ent hating and I ent doubting, but after seeing the US and Jamaican trials, I dont see where our medals are going to come from.

If Darrel goes to Europe and starts to (finally) run some sub-tens when people are next to him I may start to feel better.  Burns is a write off already for 2007.   No one else has the experience or times to run a medal winning time.
The best news of the weekend was the future find in Bledman stepping up.

ato I agree with you logically ...but gut feelingwise i staying with Brown...maybe its because hasley was not supposed to win in montreal and he did ...it was de same feeling then ...