Four athletes Akanni Hislop, Jacob St Clair, Khalifa St Forte and Akidha Briggs are the known qualifiers to date for this year's IAAF World Youth Track and Field Championships in Cali, Columbia from July 15-19.
Carifta champion Hislop (Zenith) attained the boys Under 18 qualifying standards at last weekend's NGC/NAAA National Junior Track and Field Championships which took place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Hislop surpassed the required standard for both the 100 and 200 metres events. In the 100m sprint the Bishop High School Form five student bettered the boys 100m mark of 10.60 seconds set by the NAAA when he stopped the clock at 10.48 seconds to secure the gold medal. He previously dipped under the standard with a personal best of 10.47 to win the silver medal at this year's Carifta Games in St. Kitts Nevis on April 4, and was timed at 10.59 to claim the Wildcats Classic title on May 16.
The Carifta boys' under 18 200m champion then captured the half-lap sprint (200m) in 20.96 seconds faster than the 21.40 benchmark set. He was short of his pb of 20.91 which he set to capture the Carifta title also in April.
Hislop is ranked 10th on the World Youth List in the 200m and is just outside the top 10 in the 100m.
Carifta silver medallist Akidah Briggs (Toco Titans) became a World Youth qualifier at the meet when she threw the iron-ball 15.09 metres in claiming the girls under 18 shot put crown and getting over the 15.00m standard which was required. She is the 2015 Carifta Games silver medallist.
Another Carifta Games silver medallist Jacob St Clair (Abilene Wildcats) missed on the boys under 18 400m bench mark of 47.80 at the National Juniors when he won the one lap race in 48.75. However, St Clair ran 46.73 to take the Carifta silver medal in St. Kitts Nevis in April and 47.46 in his victory at the Carifta trials. St Clair's best of 46.73 puts him at fifth on the World Rankings in the 400m.
US-born athlete Khalifa St Forte, who is born of T&T parents, won the girls under 18 100m in 11.87 seconds, missing the 11.80 mark. However, she sped to 11.43 in Orlando, Florida, USA last month to sit at fourth on the World rankings. Tyriq Hosford (Zenith) has superceded the 67.00m for the javelin with his 70.73 throw to win the Carifta boys under 18 title and break the meet record.
He also recorded 67.01 to win at the Carifta trials. However, the Signal Hill Secondary school 15-year-old student will not be eligible for selection as the IAAF rules for the World Youth Championships stipulates that athletes must be 16-years or older to participate in the competition. The 2015 World Youth Track and Field Championships are set for Cali, Colombia from July 15-19.
Hislop, St Clair and St Forte also are in content for places on the Pan American Junior team as they have also met the standards for the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships which will take place in Edmonton, Canada from July 31 to August 2.
Hislop's times in the 200m (20.91, 20.96) were superior than the 21.20 Pan Am Junior asking mark. Jonathan Farinha (Abilene Wildcats) also beat the clock when he retained his National boys under 20 half lap title in 20.87 seconds. St Clair is under the 47.20 seconds Pan Am Junior mark for the men's 400m while St. Forte was quicker than the 11.60 barrier for the women's 100m.
Triple Carifta and two-time CAC Junior champion Andwuelle Wright (Rebirth) has gone over the 7.30m with a 7.58m leap to win the Hampton Games men's title. Wright also recorded 7.48 to place first at the Carifta trials and cleared 7.30 to take the Falcon Games gold medal. Former Carifta and CAC Junior champ Kenejah Williams (Tobago Falcons) won back-to-back national junior shot put title with a distance of 17.62 metres, getting over the Pan Am Junior standard of 17.60.
Reigning Carifta and CAC Junior gold medallist Portious Warren (Toco TAFAC) has gone past the 14.00m barrier for the women's shot put on six occasions. Her 15.22 effort to win the Carifta girls under 20 crown was her best distance for the year.
The St Augustine Secondary sixth form student also recorded 15.19 metres to hold on to her national junior honours. She also has marks of 14.56, 14.48, 14.45 and 14.39 metres. Omari Benoit (Tobago Falcons) cleared the 2.06 men's high jump standard with 2.06 in winning at the NAAA's first Development Meet in January and also lept to 2.09 at the Barbados Relay Fair in March. The T&T athletic body (NAAA) is expected to name teams for the World Youth and Pan American Junior Champs later this week. (Sports core)
Qualifiers for 2015 World Youth Championships
Boys:
100m-10.60: Akanni Hislop (Zenith)-10.48 /0.0. ( 10.47/+0.3-2nd Carifta Games, 10.59/+1.4-1st Wildcats Classic)
200m-21.40: Hislop-20.96/+0.8. (20.91/+1.8-1st Carifta Games,21.28/+1.0-1st President's Classic
400m-47.80. (Jacob St. Clair (Abilene Wildcats)-46.73-2nd Carifta Games, 47.46-1st Carifta trials)
Girls
100m-11.80 (Khalifa St. Forte (Unattached)-11.43/+1.7-1st Orlando Florida)
Shot put-15.00 (15.00) (Akidah Briggs (Toco Titans)15.09-2nd Carifta Games)
Qualifiers for 2015 Pan American Junior Championships
Men
200m: -21.20-Jonathan Farinha (Abilene Wildcats) 20.87/+1.4, Akanni Hislop (Zenith)-20.96/+0.8. (20.91/+1.8). (21.28/+1.0
400m: 47.20. (Jacob St. Clair (Abilene Wildcats)-46.73-2nd Carifta Games, 47.46-1st Carifta trials)
110m Hurdles: -14.00-Aaron Lewis (Zenith)-13.90/-0.8. ( 13.90/+1.8-1st President's Classic
High jump: 2.06. (Omari Benoit (Tobago Falcons)-2.06 1st NAAA Development Meet, 2.09-1st Barbados Relay Fair)
Long jump: 7.30. (Andwuelle Wright (Rebirth) 7.58/+1.4-1st Hampton Games, 7.48/+1.6-1st Carifta Trials, 7.30/+0.7-1st Falcon Games)
Shot put: 17.60-17.62-Kenejah Williams (Tobago Falcons)
Women
100m 11.60-Khalifa St Forte (Unattached)-11.43/+1.7-1st Orlando Florida)
Shot put: 14.00-15.19. (15.22-1st Carifta Games, 14.56-1st Hampton Games, 14.48-1st Falcon Games, 14.45-1st Carifta trials, 14.39-1st President's Classic
