Two-time Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott repeated as national men’s javelin champion and Michelle-Lee Ahye reclaimed her sprint title on day one of the National Gas Company (NGC) National Open Championships at the newly refurbished Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday.

The seven-time winner Walcott tossed the spear 80.41 metres, far off his season’s best 85.85m achieved in Finland last month, but good enough to win gold and also meet the Pan Am Games standard of 73.00m at the two-day meet hosted by the National Association of Athletics Administrations of T&T (NAAATT). The Unattached javelin thrower took the top spot on the podium ahead of Point Fortin New Jets (PFNJ) duo Dorian Charles (63.54) and Anthony Diaz (63.37m), respectively.

Ahye, also running Unattached, sped to victory in the women’s 100 metres with a time of 11.31 seconds. The top three finishers in the dash went under the Pan Am qualifying time of 11.52. Reyare Thomas of Abilene Wildcats copped silver in 11.43 and bronze medallist Akilah Lewis (Concorde) crossed in 11.52. Both Ahye and Thomas meet the standard in the preliminary heats with respective times of 11.31 and 11.44.

Ahye, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 100m champion, last won the sprint title back in 2019. In 2020 and 2021 there were no championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic and last year, she opted out of the final although advancing as an automatic qualifier from the heats.

In the men’s version of the race the top four sprinters, went under the Pan Am qualifying time (10.40). Gold medallist Devin Augustine (PFNJ) with 10.26, silver medallists Jerod Elcock (Abilene Wildcats) with 10.27, Revell Webster (Concorde), the bronze medallist, with 10.36 and fourth-placed Omari Lewis (Concorde) with 10.37 made for an exciting 100m dash . Augustine and Elcock also ran quick times in the heats with 10.35 and 10.39, respectively.

The action continues on Sunday from 3 pm. Star runner Jereem Richards, a two-time Commonwealth Games 200 champion, will be seeking to defend his title in the half-lap event.

Other results

Men

400m: 1 Asa Guevara Abilene Wildcats 46.06, 2 Shakeem McKay Abilene Wildcats 46.40, 3 Renny Quow Zenith Athletic 46.71

400m Int’l: 1 Zandrion Barnes (Jamaica) 45.78, 2 Simeon Adams (Guyana) 48.44

1,500m: 1 Nicholas Landeau (+one A Week) 4:00.12, 2 Nicholas Romany (TTRRC) 4:01.74, 3 Keeran Sriskandarajah (Memphis Pioneers) 4:03.43

110m hurdles: 1 Tyrese Rawlins (Neon Wolves) 14.73, 2 Kristian King (IG Fastlane) 16.06, 3 Anson Moses (Tobago Falcons) 28.75

100m Int’l: 1 Emmanue Archibald Guyana 10.23 PAN, 2 Miles Lewis Puerto Rico 10.38 PAN, 3 Mario Burke Barbados 10.63

100m masters 50+: 1 Philbert Ryce MAP 12.12, 2 Ian Andrews Tigers Athletic 12.92, 3 Lester Herbert ZC Athletic Club 13.42

1,600m masters mile: 1 Clifton Sylvester (Unattached) 4:58.29, 2 Guswil George (TRRC) 5:05.76, 3 Errol Williams (Unattached) 5:08.63

Hammer: 1 Jamaal Alexander (Toco Tafac) 36.37m, 2 Adrian Bascombe (Toco Tafac) 21.16m

High jump: 1 Christi La Touche (Memphis Pioneers AC) 1.91m, 2 Jaidi James (Tobago Falcons) 1.88m

Shot put: 1 Hezekiel Romeo (Unattached) 18.28m, 2 Akeel Antoine Neon Wolves 16.20m, 3 Isaac Nichols (Burn) 13.44m

Triple jump: 1 Daniel Igbokwe (Siparia AC) 15.73m, 2 Damon Williams (Guyana) 15.48m, 3 Lorenzo Luces (Toco Tafac) 14.88m

Women

1,500m: 1 Samantha Shukla (Unattached) 5:05.85, 2 Kelicia Aguillera (Traquillity Gov Sec) 6:31.92, 3 Anicia Nicholas (Tigers Athletic) 7:34.15

100m Int’l: 1 Jasmine Abrams (Unattached) 11.51 (PAN), 2 Halle Hazzard (Grenada) 11.54, 3 Symone Darius (Liberia) 11.68

100m masters: 1 Michelle Sturge-White (Concorde) 13.86, 2 Crystal Joseph (Unattached) 14.46, 3 Nicole Noreiga (Unattached) 16.07

400m: 1 Andrea Foster (Guyana) 55.08, 2 Camille Lewis (Phoenix Athletics) 56.63, 3 Jenna Thomas ((IG Fastlane)) 57.25

Discus: 1 Lalenii Grant (Merc) 47.29m, 2 Jinell Campbell (Mason Hall) 37.75m, 3 Adrianna Quamina (D’Abadie) 34.95m

Long jump: 1 Tyra Gittens (Kaizen Panthers) 6.33m, 2 Nathaniela King (Concorde) 5.14m, 3 Kewes Gomes (IG Fastlane) 4.93m