Sports > What about Track & Field

Carifta Games start today

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Kingk:
As expected, Store Bay was a popular liming spot yesterday, the first day of the long holiday weekend. And visitors and locals alike will continue to flock to the beaches here in Tobago, over the next few days. But for lovers of track and field, there is only one place to be this Easter weekend the Dwight Yorke Stadium, in Bacolet.

The newly-refurbished stadium is the stage on which the best young athletes in the region will perform today, tomorrow and Monday. And fittingly, a Tobagonian is expected to emerge as one of the stars of Carifta 2005. In fact, Trinidad and Tobago head coach Trevor James is expecting double gold from the Plymouth athlete in the girls under-20 sprints.

"I think Kelly-Ann Baptiste is ready to take on anyone in this particular meet at the 100 and 200. I'm looking for a double, and I'm looking for Kelly-Ann to walk away with three medals at this particular meet, the 100, the 200 and the 4x1."

The head coach is also expecting good performances from his son Jamil James and Tobago quarter-miler Renny Quow. They are expected to square off against each other in tonight's boys under-20 400m final.

"Trinidad and Tobago can look forward to an interesting toss-up going down the stretch with those two athletes."



Baptiste will see action today, in the girls under-20 100m dash, while the boys under-20 century will feature Marcus Duncan.

"That field right now is hot," (Trevor) James told the Express, yesterday. "Marcus is competing against (Renaldo) Rose from Jamaica and (Daniel) Bailey from Antigua, so we'll get an opportunity to see Marcus putting his best foot forward.

"We have a lot of good youngsters," the head coach continued. "We're hoping Kervin Morgan can pull off a double in the 200 and 400. Monique Cabral is finding her best foot these days. And Rhonda Watkins will be her normal self. We expect gold from her in the high jump, and we're looking for gold too in the long jump."

Today, Morgan will compete in the boys under-17 400m, Cabral is expected to face the starter in the girls under-20 100m and Watkins will defend her girls under-20 long jump title.

Pilar McShine, Annie Alexander, Natoya Baird, Peter Carter, Britney St Louis, Sade St Louis, Janelle Clarke, LaTasha Roach, Marsha Louis, Jurnelle Francis, Keston Bledman, Shermin Lasaldo, Precious Rogers, Hileen James, Jervon John, Jamie Payne, Zwede Hewitt, Garvin Nero, Sherwin Stapleton, Mikhail Matthews, Shirlon Scott, Emmanuel Stewart, Kerticha John, Sandino Nero, Kellon Marshall, Kerron Brown and Dwayne Nicome are also expected to be in action, today, for the host nation.

Baptiste and (Jamil) James are the Team T&T co-captains. Baptiste is a student at Louisiana State University, while Jamil is a student at University of South Carolina.

"They'll be meeting with the team to share not only their own personal experiences abroad," the elder James explained, "but also the importance of us performing at a high level at this particular meet, and what the meet means to the people here in Trinidad and Tobago."

The head coach said that the 69-member T&T team is capable of surpassing the country's best-ever haul of 32 medals. That feat was accomplished at the 1998 Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Port-of-Spain.

"What I am looking forward to from T&T is more gold medals. And if we can get more gold medals, hopefully we'll pick up more silver and bronzes along the way."

The first session starts at 9.50 this morning. And the opening ceremony is scheduled for four p.m.

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