Double World Indoor champion, Geraldine George-Francis, led a 19-member team which left here on Wednesday for the 19th North, Central and Caribbean Masters Athletic Championships to be held at the Estadio Centralamericano Atletico in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico from Septemebr 3-6.
George-Francis won the women's shot put and javelin at the World Indoor Masters Championships in Kamloops, Canada in March this year. The Point Fortin-resident also claimed gold in the shot put at last year's World Outdoor championships in Lahti, Finland.
Competing in the women's 35-39 age group, the former multiple Carifta Games medallist will compete in the women's shot put, discus and javelin throw. At the 2008 edition of the meet in Clearmont, Florida, George-Francis captured gold in the javelin in a games record of 41.66 metres.
She also won the shot put event and was second in the discus.
Also making the trip to Puerto Rico will be defending gold medallists Monica Tang Wing, Irma Riley, Ruth Fraser-Monroe, Gwendolyn Smith, Terrance Skinner, Oswald Rogers, Robert Stevenson. Two years ago, the national team won 48 gold (25 gold, 14 silver and 9 bronze). Speaking just before leaving for Puerto Rico, George-Francis said she is aiming to win and improve her record in the javelin event. "...I am aiming to improve on my record as this is my last competition at regional meet in this age group. I hoping my performance will stay for awhile."
The former national champion said she has been preparing over the last two months for the event. "The preparation has been a lot of sacrifice but as a teacher I had two months of the vacation to train. It was still hard though. I coach myself." The delegation was headed by the president of the T&T Masters Athletes Association Jim Clarke with public relations officer, Michael Jordan Elcock as the manager. The team was sponsored by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs (MSYA) and returns on Tuesday.
