THE third edition of the Aliann Pompey Invitational was officially launched yesterday, at the SleepIn International Hotel and Casino (Church Street). The event, set for June 30, will see athletes from over 25 countries converge on the Leonora Track and Field Centre.

With Olympic and World Champion Kirani James, along with Guyana’s Commonwealth Games triple jump gold medallist Troy Doris headlining the meet, Aliann Pompey, the principal behind the event, pointed out already the AP Invitational has taken its place as one of the marquee programme in the Caribbean and by extension South America.

Pompey, the 2002 Commonwealth Games 400m gold medallist, told the media that she’s overwhelmed at the support her meet is receiving from the track and field community and as such, the day will be memorable for fans.

James, at the JN Racers Grand Prix on June 9 in Jamaica, clocked an impressive 44.35 seconds to win the 400 metres in his first race in over a year after recovering from Graves’ disease (an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones).

The Grenadian’s time of 44.35 seconds is the eighth-best time in the world this year. James’ personal best in the 400 metres is 43.74 seconds, set in 2014.
James had always been regarded as one of the Caribbean’s best talent over the 400 metres, though he has competed over the 200 metres with considerable amount of success, racing to a personal best of 20.41 seconds in 2011.

Also known as the ‘Jaguar’, James had won gold in the 400 metres at the 2012 Olympic Games in London – Grenada’s first and only medal at the Olympics.
However, four years later in Brazil, the Grenadian (43.76 secs) crossed the line second, relinquishing his Olympic title to South African Wayde van Niekerk who won 400 metres gold and also set a new world record in the distance, a time of 43.03 seconds; erasing American Michael Johnson’s 43.18 seconds that he clocked in 1999.

Meanwhile, Doris, who has been representing Guyana since 2015, will face Cuban Jordan Diaz, touted by many in his country, as the next World triple jump champion. Quite a technician, Diaz is the World U-18 champion and junior World record-holder at 17.32 metres.

Joining Diaz will be last year’s champion from Suriname, Miguel Van Assen, who holds his country’s national record in the event, as well as the CARIFTA and South American title.
Van Assen’s personal best is 16.94 metres. The Surinamese is also the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games champion.

The triple jump at this year’s Aliann Pompey Invitational, could steal the show, since also confirming his participation is The Bahamas’ Leevan Sands.
Sands won bronze at the 2008 Olympic Games, as well as bronze at the World Championship and Commonwealth Games. He’s a Pan Am Games silver medallist and multiple gold medallist at the CARIFTA Games.

The Aliann Pompey Invitational the only event of its kind in Guyana where athletes from across the Caribbean, Central and North America converge on Leonora for what has been the best showing of track and field in Guyana.

Fly Jamaica, E-Networks, Quality Plus, Banks DIH, the Ministry of Communities and SleepIn International Hotel and Casino are among the sponsors for the event.