media_artricles :: 2013

TT leave for World Youth Champs

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s eight member contingent left for Donetsk, Urkaine for the 8th IAAF World Youth (Under 18) Track and Field Championships left on Saturday afternoon with the expectation of returning with lots of medals.

The team stopped over in London, England, and left for Ukraine yesterday enroute for Donetsk. The World Youth Championships begins on Wednesday (July 10) and concludes on Sunday.

The team includes reigning champions Chelsea James, Andwuelle Wright and Jeminise Parris. James, who retained her Carifta girls under 17 shot put title in the Bahamas earlier this year, will compete in the girls shot put in Ukraine along with Portious Warren. The Tobago Falcons thrower has gone over the 13.50 distance to qualify yet again with her best of 14.48 which was set in the Bahamas on March 30.

Warren of Toco TAFAC had a top qualifying mark of 14.88 at the NAAA Hurdles and Field Festival on April 27. Wright attained the World Youth standard of 7.20m in the boy’s long jump event with 7.29 which he achieved in winning back to back boys under 17 long jump title.

Parris qualified for the girls 100m hurdles clocking 14.13 at the Carifta trials on March 2 and getting under the 14.55. The 2013 Carifta girls under 17 300m hurdles winner also clocked 14.39 in capturing the national under 18 title. The trio are joined by former Carifta winners Jonathan Farinha and Kenejah Williams and hurdles champ Aaron Lewis. Farinha (Abilene Wildcats) is a double qualifier getting over the standards for the 100m (10.60) and 200 (21.40). In the 200m the 2012 Carifta boy’s under 17 200m victor will be the overwhelming favourite after he ran a personal best 20.86 to finish fifth in the men’s 200m finals at the National Open Champs on June 23.

Farinha has three other legal clockings under the standard and is second on the World Youth rankings in the event. In the 100m Farinha equalled his personal best time of 10.50 at the Hampton Games recently. Williams (Tobago Falcons) will compete in the boys shot put after getting past the 17.70 standard with his best effort of 17.92 in taking the national under 18 title. Lewis (Zenith) was quicker than the 14.55 boys 110m hurdles posting in taking the national under 18 title. Kayelle Clarke (Petrotrin P-A-P) has made the grade in the girls 200m (24.00) on four occasions with her best of 23.76 achieved in her sixth place finish in the Carifta girls under 20 200m finals in the Bahamas on April 1.

The National contingent will be hoping to win a medal for TT for the first time at the meet since 2005 when the boys’ medley relay team was second and Keston Bledman bagged bronzed in the 100m. At the 2011 World Youths Machel Cedenio was the top performer placing fourth in the boys 400m final. Cedenio also led the national medley relay team to sixth in the finals. Shot putter Hezkeil Romeo was ninth in the boys shot put finals.

World Youth team

Girls

• 200m-Kayelle Clarke (Petrotrin PAP)
• 100m Hurdles-Jeminise Parris (Memphis)
• Shot put-Portious Warren (Toco TAFAC), Chelsea James (Tobago Falcons)

Boys

• 100m-Jonathan Farinha (Abilene Wildcats)
• 200m-Farinha
• 110m Hurdles-Aaron Lewis-Zenith
• Shot put-Kenejah Williams (Tobago Falcons)
• Long jump-Andwuelle Wright (Signal Hill Secondary)

Manager: Nadine Hamid

Coaches: Wendel Williams (jumps), Ian Carter (sprints), Wade Franklyn (throws)

Physio: Brent Elder

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