T&T’s first ever female World Championships medallist, Josanne Lucas (Tobago Falcons) will face a quality field in the women’s 400m hurdles at the first ever Falcons Invitational Last Chance Meet at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Saturday, 11, July 2015.

Lucas, who won bronze in the event at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany, will be up against 2008 World Junior silver medallist Janeil Bellille (Abilene Wildcats), Barbadian 2013 World Youth silver medallist Tia-Adanna Belle and US Collegiate SEC bronze medallist Sparkle Mc Knight (Memphis Pioneers) in one of several competitive fields in the one day meet. She will be looking for her second straight victory at home after edging McKnight for the national title on June 28 as both hurdlers clocked 56.76 in a two woman field. Bellille was expected to compete but opted out after retaining the 400m flat title, the day before. 

However, the trio will be hoping to go under the qualifying standard of 56.20 for this year’s World Outdoor Championships in Beijing, China from August 22-30. Bellille will also be seeking to book her spot on the Barbados team to the event. Tomorrow’s field will also include American Dynasty Mc Gree and Kou Luogon.

Reigning world men’s champion, Jehue Gordon (Memphis Pioneers) is listed to compete in the men’s one lap race but organizers could not confirm his participation. In his absence, reigning CAC Championships gold medallist, Emmanuel Mayers (Rebirth) is the favorite for the title, after his runner-up finish to Gordon at the National Champs on June 28 ahead of Gordon’s Memphis team-mates World Junior sprint hurdles finalist Reubin Walters, Kern Alexis, Isiah Phillip and teenager Tauren George (Pt Fortin New Jets). Olympic semifinalist Eric Alejandro (Puerto Rico) and American Trevor Brown will be hoping to upset the local runners who will be seeking the World Championships standard of 49.50.

The women’s 200m and men’s 100m races will also be eye-catchers. In the ladies' half lap sprint Olympic finalist Semoy Hackett (Zenith) leads the start list with her 22.81 clocking in Florida in June ahead of Kamaria Durant (Simplex) who sped to a pb of 23.08 in the heats at the National Champs. Both have bettered the 23.20 World Champs standard. However, National champion Reyare Thomas (Abilene Wildcats) will be seeking to get a legal qualifier after she sped to a wind-aided 22.97 (+2.2) to take the national title ahead of Durant.

The men’s 100m will feature Olympic and World Championships multiple relay medallist Emmanuel Callender (Memphis Pioneers) up against former World Junior champion and record holder Darryl Brown (Abilene Wildcats) who would be looking to rebound from his false-start in the National Champs. National 100m second place finisher Marcus Duncan (Rebirth), 2010 World Junior sprint relay bronze medallist Sherman Allsop (Concorde) and and last year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games silver medallist 19 year old Levi Cadogan of Barbados are in the line-up in and will be aiming at the World Championship standard of 10.16.

Many of the national athletes are using the meet to finalize their preparations for upcoming regional and international championships. This country’s mixed relay teams for the CAC Age Group Championships set for the Hasely Crawford Stadium on July 18 and 19 – the quartet of Malika Coutain (Pt. Fortin New Jets) , Xea Bruce (Toco Titans), Daniel Qui (Toco Titans) and Jordan Pope (Cougars) will contest the 11-12 age group relays, while Safiya John (Zenith), Antoinia Sealey (Pt. Fortin New Jets), Avindale Smith (Abilene Wildcats) and Joel Andrews (D’Abadie Progressive) are slated to contest the mixed 13-14 age sector.

Carifta champion Akani Hislop (Zenith) and Akidah Briggs (Toco Titans) will be competing in their final competition before leaving for the IAAF World Youth (Under 18) Championships in Cali, Colombia from July 15-19. Hislop is listed to contest the men's 200m and Briggs, the women's shot put

Carifta gold medallists Andwuelle Wright (Zenith), Portious Warren (Toco TAFAC) are among the favorites for their events. Wright took gold in the boys under 20 long jump at this year’s Carifta Games in St. Kitts/Nevis and will be up against national champion Dwaine Herbert (Dovers) and former Carifta medallist Che Richards (Oasics), Sean Michael Stafford (TTDF) and this year’s boys under 17 bronze medallist, Clement Campbell (Memphis Pioneers). Warren will face three time Carifta under 17/18 gold medallist, Chelsea James (Tobago Falcons) World Masters gold medallists Palo Seco’s Gwendolyn Smith and Geraldine George in the women's shot put. Wright, Warren and James have been selected to compete at the Pan American Junior Championships in Edmonton, Canada from July 31 to August 2.

The Rebirth duo of 2005 World Youth finalist Jamaal James and 2010 double Carifta champion Nicholas Landeau will lock horns again in the men’s 800m after James took the national title in 1:49.36 with Landeau 0.05 seconds behind. The pair was short of the Pan Am Games standard of 1:49.00. Kendis Bullard (TTDF) and five time Carifta gold medallist, Mark London (Zenith) will be out to upset the top two.

The men’s shot put will feature current Carifta boys under 17 champion, Isaiah Taylor (Abilene Wildcats) battling against former winner Kenejah Williams (Tobago Falcons) and Shervorne Worrell (UTT). National record holder Akeem Stewart (Tobago Falcons) will not be coming.

In the men’s discus, Pan Am Games picks national champion, Quincy Wilson (Rebirth) will face runner-up, Emmanuel Stewart (Zenith).

The first event (mixed 11-12 4x100m relay)  is scheduled to start at 3:00pm and the last race (men's 4x400m) set to get underway at 6:40 p.m.

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