Keshorn Walcott’s 2022 World Championship campaign was hanging in the balance, at press time Thursday night, here in Eugene, Oregon. The 2012 Olympic champion threw 78.87 metres in Group “A” of the qualifying event to finish eighth.

Walcott fell short of the 83.50m automatic qualifying mark, and had to wait on the results of Group “B” to know his fate. Group “B” was contested after press time. The top 12 throwers from the two qualifying groups will do battle in tomorrow’s final.

Eric Harrison’s World Athletics Championship debut lasted just one race.

Harrison bowed out of the men’s 200 metres in Monday’s opening round. With the top three in each heat progressing automatically to the semis, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter finished fifth in heat seven in 20.54 seconds. The clocking was not fast enough to earn Harrison a “fastest loser” berth.

“I came out here with no serious expectations,” the 23-year-old athlete told the Express. “I wanted to get acclimated with the energy and competing with some of the best athletes in the world. With this being my first World Champs, I didn’t want to overthink things. I just wanted to enjoy the experience and get an idea what it’s like to compete at such a high level.”

Harrison has also been selected on the T&T team for the July 28 to August 8 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

“My expectations are pretty much the same for most of my meets. Just to go out there and compete to the best of my ability and execute my races. I always want to end up on the podium, whatever track meet I’m at, so going into that meet I’m going to prepare for running the multiple rounds in the 100, 200 and 4×1.”

Harrison made his Olympic debut in Tokyo, Japan, last year, as part of T&T’s men’s 4x100m team. He combined with Kion Benjamin, Akanni Hislop and Richard “Torpedo” Thompson. “Torpedo”, who was part of T&T’s 2008 Olympic Games gold medal winning sprint relay team, is now retired.

T&T did not qualify for the Oregon22 4×1, but will challenge for precious metal in the event at the Commonwealth Games. Harrison, Benjamin and Hislop, as well as Jerod Elcock and Omari Lewis are among the new generation of T&T sprinters, and will all be in Birmingham as part of T&T’s sprint relay squad.

“As we continue to mould together as a group,” said Harrison, “get to know each other, learn each other, that will translate on the track. I think a lot of chemistry is involved when it comes to running a fast relay. You can’t necessarily just pop four athletes on there and expect to run well.

“There’s a lot more that goes into it,” the US-born sprinter continued, “but I definitely think we have the tools to run very well for Trinidad and Tobago, so I’m really excited about that. The future definitely has bright things ahead.” After press time, last night, Jereem “The Dream” Richards faced the starter in the men’s 200m final. The 2017 World Championship half-lap bronze medallist was drawn in lane two.