Emerging rivalries are set to take centre stage when the National Association of Athletics Administrations of T&T (NAAATT) hosts its National Juvenile Track and Field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain Saturday and Sunday from 9 am.
Among the scores of rising talents, action will span four divisions: Under-9, U-11, U-13, and U-15.
In the Girls' U-15 category, where the 100, 200, and 400-metre crowns will be up for grabs, three athletes–Keanna Cummings of the Pace and Performance Factory, Gloria Henry of RSS Phoenix, and Akilah Chinapoo of Simplex–are expected to lead the pack. Chinapoo claimed the 100m crown the last time the championships were held, but with the Pace and Performance Factory clinching the recent Republic Bank Relay Festival, Cummings could be perfectly primed to cause an upset. Her coach, Derrick Simon, believes Cummings could also be favoured to walk away with a win in the one-lap 400m race.
Eden Chee Wah claimed the girls' U-15 400m title last year, but will move up to contest the U-17 category this time around. In March, Chee Wah displayed fine form by winning the girls’ U-17 200m in an impressive 23.73 seconds on day two of the Carifta trials at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
The rivalry will spill over to the boys' U-15 division, where Cai Williams of the Pace and Performance Factory and Memphis Pioneers’ Josiah Kaitan will clash in both the 100m and 200m sprints.
Meanwhile, the Cougars Track and Field Club, which repeated as champions at the Mason Hall Juvenile Championships last year, boasts at least four champions across various divisions. Among them is Joel Diaz, who had the time of his life, clinching the 100m, 200m, and long jump crowns in the U-11 division.
In the girls' U-11 division, a new champion will be crowned, as the impressive Samara Moses is out due to injury. Moses dominated the 100m and 200m races but after picking up an injury at school, the door is open for other rising talents to step up.
High expectations also surround Cougars' Kaseem Duverney in the U-13 100m, 200m, and 400m as well as the high jump. Duverney holds the national title in all four events and is expected to repeat as champion. Meanwhile, standout performances are also anticipated from Seth Sylvester and Naomi Phillips, both of whom will contest the 200m and 400m events.
When asked for a comment ahead of the championships, NAAATT official Paul Voisin noted with disappointment that a lack of funding has cast a damper on the event. Voisin, a former runner himself, lamented the lack of financial support from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, which failed to provide funding for the championships.
