Guyana’s preliminary contingent for the CARIFTA Games moved up to five on Sunday following qualification of three young ladies in blistering fashion at the Leonora Track and Field Facility, West Coast Demerara.
Keliza Smith, Adriel Austin and Attoya Harvey punched their tickets to the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games in the Jamaica, “Land of Wood and Water” this Easter weekend, after making the qualifying times at Guyana’s first of three CARIFTA 2022 trials.
Keliza Smith
In only their second meet this season, the young Guyanese did well to clock qualifying times, and promise to only get better as the season progresses.
Smith was able to hit the nail on the head, clocking 11.80s in the 17-19 100m race, the CARIFTA standard for which is set at that exact time. However, she was not so fortunate in the 200m contest, clocking 24.39s, just 19 split seconds shy of the 12.20s qualifying standard.
Adriel Austin, who is no stranger to the regional event, crossed the line in 2:13.46s in the 800m race, a second below the qualifying mark.
Adriel Austin
Provided that the COVID-19 situation is controlled in the host country, this year will mark the first time that Harvey heads to the Games, after qualifying twice before in 2020 and 2021, when the Games were called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This teen clocked 4.56.83 in the 13-16 1500m to book her spot in Guyana’s CARIFTA team. Following the race, Harvey shared her thoughts on qualifying for the third consecutive year.
“I feel good, because this is actually my third time qualifying, but the last two years I didn’t get to go because of COVID. So, yeah, I feel great,” an elated Harvey has said.
Quizzed about her preparation and what drove her personal-best run that Sunday, the teenager explained that there wasn’t much competition around her, but she focused on pushing herself.
Attoya Harvey
“I had to train hard and do a lot of weights work, because my hands are kind of weak,” she explained. Turning to her motivation for clocking her personal best time, Harvey explained, “Well, Coach used to be stern on me, and he keep telling me to go. I didn’t really had anybody to push me, so I had to go by myself.”
Guyana’s contingent of CARIFTA 2022 athletes now includes Smith, Austin, Harvey, CARIFTA Javelin medalist Anisa Gibbons and Long jump’s Wesley Tyndall. The games are scheduled for April 16-18 in Jamaica.
