… Troy Doris confirms his first showing in Guyana

THE third edition of Guyana’s premier track and field meet, the Aliann Pompey Invitational, will be graced with the presence of Kirani James, the Grenadian 400 metres Olympic and World champion.

The 25-year-old confirmed his participation recently.

Set for the Leonora Track and Field Centre on June 30, the Aliann Pompey Invitational will also see Guyana’s Commonwealth Games triple-jump gold medallist Troy Doris, compete for the first time at home.

“This is all round a great thing. To have an Olympic and World champion competing at the event while he’s still in his prime is a testament to where we want to take this competition,” said Pompey.

According to the Commonwealth Games 400m gold medallist, James’ opening run after a year off is in the top 10 times in the world, while stating, “I am a huge Kirani fan and I know that Guyana will be an amazing audience for the ‘Jaguar’.

“I know he’s interested in seeing some of Guyana so I’m hoping our Ministry of Tourism can show him a few of the many reasons Guyana should be a destination.”

James, at the JN Racers Grand Prix on June 9 in Jamaica, clocked an impressive 44.35 seconds to win the 400m 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 400m is 43.74 seconds, set in 2014.

James had always been regarded as 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 400m at the 2012 Olympic Games in London – Grenada’s first and only medal at the Olympics.

However, four years later in Brazil, James (43.76 secs) was beaten to second place by South African Wayde van Niekerk who won 400m gold and also set a new world record in the distance, a time of 43.03 secs and erasing American Michael Johnson’s 43.18 secs which he clocked in 1999.

Meanwhile, Doris, although visiting Guyana before, the Aliann Pompey Invitation will see him compete for the first time in the country he has been representing since 2015.

Cuban Jordan Diaz, who is touted by many in his country, as the next World triple jump champion, will also be competing at the Aliann Pompey Invitational.

Quite a technician, Diaz is the World U-18 champion and 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 The Bahamas’ Leevan Sands has also confirmed his participation.

Sands won bronze at the 2008 Olympic Games, as well as at the World Championship and Commonwealth Games. He’s a Pan Am Games silver medallist and multiple-time 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 the best showing of track and field.