Jereem “The Dream” Richards will be at Hayward Field here in Eugene, Oregon, USA, at 10.50 tonight (TT time), hunting World Athletics Championship Men’s 200 metres precious metal.

Richards is the first Trinidad and Tobago finalist at Oregon22, and is hoping to become the country’s first medallist as well. He will do battle from lane two.

A 19.86 seconds run in the second semi-final on Tuesday earned Richards third spot, behind Americans Noah Lyles (19.62) and Kenny Bednarek (19.84). The Point Fortin sprinter told the Express he will adjust his race plan for the final.

“I need to push off that turn a little bit harder, but I also need to have a balanced race. I could put out a little bit more on the turn, but then I still have to worry about how it affects the way I finish. I have to balance my race a little bit more and find that middle ground from pushing on the turn and being in the pack and still being able to finish.”

Lyles, the defending champion, will run in lane six, while Bednarek is in four. A third American, Erriyon Knighton, winner of the third semi-final heat in 19.77 seconds, has been drawn in lane three. The American trio will be bidding for a 1-2-3 finish. Richards, though, is keen to prevent a US sweep.

“Coming into this meet, that is one thing I had on my mind to do. I’ve been looking forward to being on the Worlds podium. On the outdoor stage I haven’t been on the podium since 2017, so I’m trying to be a medallist again.”

The 2017 World Championship half-lap bronze medallist is convinced he would have to run significantly faster than his 19.83 seconds personal best to get on the podium tonight.

“A low 19.6 is what I would need, so I’d have to go beyond my best, do things that I’ve never done before, especially on the turn, to be able to get a medal.”

Keshorn Walcott opens his 2022 World Athletics Championship campaign in Group “A” of the Men’s javelin qualifying competition. Group “A” is scheduled to start at 8.05 tonight, with Group “B” getting under way at 9.35. The automatic qualifying distance is 83.50 metres.

Walcott has been in good form this year, his season’s best throw of 89.07m earning him sixth spot on the 2022 world performance list.

“I’m happy to be here,” said Walcott, “happy to be here healthy. That’s the most important thing. I’m looking forward to having some good performances. I haven’t competed much in the United States. This is going to be like my fourth time, so I don’t really have much memories. But I’m looking forward to making memories.”

Grenada’s reigning world champion, Anderson Peters will throw in Group “B”. Peters is the 2022 world leader at 93.07m.

“Being the world leader and reigning world champion in the same year has been pretty awesome,” said Peters. “I’ve been really motivated to defend my title. I think it’s going to take a pretty long throw to defend the title, but the best thrower on the day will win.”

The Men’s javelin was a Euro-centric event, up until 2012. Walcott, though, flipped the script, striking gold at the London Olympics at the age of 19. The Toco thrower became the first ever black male Olympic throwing champion and only the second non-European to win the Men’s javelin title at the quadrennial Games, following in the footsteps of the 1952 gold medallist, American Cy Young.

Since Walcott’s triumph at London 2012, the event has taken on a more global look. Kenyan Julius Yego won the world title in 2015. Peters did the same four years later. And then, at last year’s Olympics, India’s Neeraj Chopra grabbed gold.

Walcott is proud to be a trailblazer.

“It feels great actually. Javelin has always been deemed a European event. It’s really nice to see that it’s more open now, ten years later. It’s really nice to see the different styles of throwing, the different people competing. It’s really amazing knowing that you can go to these competitions and see ten different guys from ten different countries, and not just Europe.

“It brings a different insight to the sport,” Walcott continued, “because now you see different people applying different techniques. For me growing up, we looked at the same throwers over and over and over, Andreas Thorkildsen and Tero Pitkamaki, but now the younger people can look at ten different people and see which style they can adopt and choose for themselves. It’s good.”

Walcott, Richards and Michelle-Lee Ahye are the most experienced athletes on T&T’s 2022 World Athletics Championship team.

“This year is one of our smallest teams,” said Walcott. “We only have 11 athletes. Most of them are young, using these Championships as experience. I think that’s good because we need more athletes getting experience on the world class stage. Hopefully it serves us well and for the next couple years, next Olympics, next Worlds, we can have a stronger team coming out and representing.”