Michelle-Lee Ahye will chase her fourth consecutive 100 metres title when the Women's sprint event which started on Friday evening on the programme of the NGC/NAAA Open Track and Field Championship at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Ahye has won the event in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and all in commanding fashion.
Ahye, 27, was expected to compete in the semifinal last evening against the likes of Simplex athlete Kamaria Durant, British Virgin Island sprinter Tahesia Harrigan-Scott and young T&T sprinter Akilah Lewis of Concorde Athletic Club. On Saturday, the race finalists will chase for podium positions, and Ahye will start as a favourite while using the meet as her final preparation for the Pan American Games medal quest. The Pan Am Games started last night in Lima, Peru.
Keston Bledman, the defending champion in the men's equivalent was drawn in the sixth heat at the preliminary stage also last evening. The men's 100 metres event also include Kyle Greaux, Emmanuel Callender, Rondell Sorrillo, Jerod Elcock together with former World and Junior Champion Darrel Brown and reigning Commonwealth Games 200 metres champion Jereem Richards.
Meanwhile, former World 400 metres hurdles champion Jehue Gordon will be setting his sights on retaining the men's one-lap title, which he won in 2018.
He defeated Byron Lloy Henley of St Kitts/Nevis when he registered the time of 50.87 seconds for his victory while Henley clocked 52.54 seconds for his silver medal.
Gordon looked good in his final preparation on Friday as he readied himself for Saturday's title defence. In March, he clocked 49.23 seconds at the Oxy International in Los Angeles California, USA. His career best-time is 46.43 seconds. Gordon's won gold in his pet event, the 400 metres hurdles at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia in 2013.