Kion Benjamin will lead the Trinidad and Tobago troops into battle at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-18, Under-20 and Under-23 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica. The meet starts tomorrow (Friday) and concludes on Sunday.

Benjamin, a member of the T&T men's 4x100 metres... relay squad for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, is among nine athletes selected for national duty in Costa Rica. Benjamin and Tyrell Edwards are listed for action in the men's under-23 100m dash.

Clement Campbell Jr. competes in the men's under-23 long jump and Tyriq Horsford in the men's under-23 javelin. Sprinter Iantha Wright is the lone under-23 female athlete on the T&T team. Wright will face the starter in the 100.

The T&T team also includes four athletes who have achieved qualifying standards for the August 17 to 22 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya. Rae-Anne Serville will do battle in the women's 400m, Leah Bertrand in the women's 100, Shakeem McKay in the men's 200, and Dillon Leacock in the men's 400 hurdles.

No under-18 athletes are on the T&T team for Costa Rica. Durly Lucas will serve as manager, and also has coaching responsibilities. Antonia Burton and Wendell Williams have also been chosen for coaching duty.

In a media release, the National Association of Athletics Administrations of T&T (NAAATT) gave some insight into the selection process.

"The team was confirmed based on athletes' availability and acquiring all COVID-19 travelling protocols.

"The U20 category," the NAAATT explained, "was a late addition by NACAC to the Championships, which originally catered for the U18 and U23 age groups."