By Michelangelo Jacobus

AFTER two consecutive weekends of participation by various athletes at the Athletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG) CARIFTA Games trial meets, the young track and field athletes have now been granted a two-week resting period and in some cases additional time to make the qualifying standards in their respective events.

Speaking to the Chronicle Sport, AAG president Aubrey Hutson pointed out that since the athletes have been at it for back-to-back Sundays, the administration of the AAG decided that it would be a good idea for them to take two weeks of rest.
However, as a result of this two-week break, it now means that the AAG will have a shortened time to purchase tickets for the final contingent to Nassau in the Bahamas for the CARIFTA Games.

This is a sacrifice, Hutson noted, that the AAG is willing to make in order to ensure that the athletes are given enough time to produce their best performances.
Meanwhile, with Daniel Williams having already qualified for his Boys’ U-20 400m and 200m events in comfortable fashion, his coach, Johnny Gravesande was full of praise for his charge.

Gravesande revealed that he was extremely pleased with Williams’ times. “It is still early in the season and compared to last year at this same time, he’s actually running at a faster time.”
In qualifying for the 200m Williams ran 21 seconds flat while he recorded 48.35 seconds in the 400m event.

“Daniel is someone who doesn’t run well without competition and for him to be running this fast this early and without competition, it is very good,” Gravesande noted.
The CARIFTA Games will be held from March 21 to April 2; at the Games, Daniel and his coach are looking for gold medals and times that will make the World Junior Championship Qualifying standards.

“Daniel indicated to me that since at the last CARIFTA Games where he won a medal but then had it taken from him, it is his desire to win gold in both of his events this time around.

“This year is going to be a big year for him; we are hoping for the best, we are hoping that there is good competition at CARIFTA so that Daniel can push himself. We want to run 20 seconds in the 200m and 45 seconds in the 400m this year.”

Gravesande’s other athlete, jumper Chantoba Bright has already qualified for the long jump but will be gunning for the triple jump qualification mark when the final CARIFTA Trial meet is held on March 4.

At last Sunday’s meet she was just six inches shy of the mark, Gravesande is confident that she will make the mark pointing out that she was jumping from behind the springboard.