BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A star-studded line-up of athletes who represented the Federation on Sunday at the OECS Track and Field Invitational had dominated the sub-regional competition.
With many top athletes returning to the Federation for the St. Kitts-Nevis National Invitational Championships on Sunday (June 16), the squad contained not only top locally-based athletes but also those who compete overseas.
Proving the point of St. Kitts-Nevis’ sprinting dominance at the Meet were Antoine Adams and Brijesh Lawrence, who finished first and second respectively in the Men’s 200m Dash. Adams won the race in a time of 20.26 seconds, earning an ‘A’ standard qualifying time for the IAAF World Championships to be held in August.
Lawrence however edged out his competitors to gain success in the men’s 100m after he had to fight back from a sluggish start. Tahir Walsh of Antigua and Barbuda shot out of the blocks to get an early lead but Lawrence successfully fought back and beat him into third place while Alistair Clarke of St. Kitts and Nevis came in second.
Calvert Shiverton also represented the nation well in the Men’s Long Jump, recording 7.47 metres to win the event.
The 800 metres was however won by Mark London of Trinidad and Tobago in a time of 1:56.09 and he was trailed by Edgar Marbeq of St Lucia and Kajon Parris of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The only relay of the Meet however proved equally fruitful for the Federation.
In the Men’s 4x100m, a line-up of Adams, Lawrence, Delaney and Clarke cruised to a gold medal ahead of Top Notch Track Club and Antigua and Barbuda.
The day also saw a number of junior athletes on show participating exhibition race as they prepare for various upcoming meets to be staged later this year.
Before the start of the Meet, a tribute was paid to Tesril Nisbett who died on Friday (June 7). A javelin with a flower attached to it was thrown in her honour by J’Anthon Silliday, a national athlete who participates in that discipline.
Though the Meet had a short pause due to rain, teams from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts-Nevis, Anguilla, BVI, all competed and reported general satisfaction with the event.
