Michelle-Lee Ahye opens her 2022 World Athletics Championship campaign at 8.45 tonight (TT time) here in Eugene, Oregon, USA, in the sixth of seven women’s 100 metres heats.

Ahye, the only Trinidad and Tobago athlete in the women’s century, will run in lane four. American Aleia Hobbs has been drawn in lane six. Hobbs is fourth on the 2022 world performance list at 10.81 seconds, while Ahye is 16th with a season’s best 10.94.

On current form, Ahye and Hobbs are tipped to secure two of the three automatic semi-final berths on offer in heat six. Also in the race are Bahrain’s Ofonime Odiong, who has clocked a personal best 11.05 this season, Guyana’s Jasmine Abrams (11.07), Canadian Khamica Bingham (11.22), Switzerland’s Ajla Del Ponte (11.26) and Northern Mariana Islands athlete Zarinae Sapong (13.04).

Jamaica will feature in the first four women’s 100 heats. At 8.10pm, Shericka Jackson runs in the opening heat. Defending champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will be on show seven minutes later. Reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah faces the starter in heat three. And Kemba Nelson lines up in the fourth heat.

St Lucia’s Julien Alfred squares off against Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith in heat five. American champion Melissa Jefferson, Swiss sprint star Mujinga Kambundji and Poland’s Ewa Swoboda will do battle in the seventh and final heat.

The semi-final round of the women’s 100m starts at 8.10 tonight.

T&T athletes Portious Warren and Jerod Elcock were on show at Hayward Field after press time, last night.

Elcock was drawn in the second of seven men’s 100m heats. That race also featured one of the favourites for the title, American Fred Kerley, as well as Briton Zharnel Hughes, Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi, Nigerian Favour Ashe and China’ Su Bingtian. The top three finishers progressed automatically to today’s semi-final round, scheduled to begin at 9pm.

Warren competed in Group “B” of the women’s shot put qualifying event. She needed at least an 18.90 metres throw to secure automatic qualification for today’s 9.25pm final.

The other T&T thrower at Oregon22, Keshorn Walcott has been enjoying one of his best seasons. He has competed at seven meets this year, going past 84 metres each time. Walcott’s best throw to date in 2022, 89.07m, is the third furthest of his career.

“I think my consistency comes from being the healthiest I’ve been for a very long time,” Walcott told the Express. “I’ve been able to train without any kind of setbacks and with a very free mind. I’m enjoying the throwing again, and that’s been one of the main contributors to my consistency.

“I’m really thankful because it has been a struggle for me for the past couple years in terms of health. Last year, my season was going good, but I had an injury before the Olympics and that kind of went south. I’m happy to be in good shape this year so I can perform to the best of my ability.”

Walcott has two Olympic medals – gold and bronze – as well Pan American Games gold and silver, Commonwealth Games silver, a Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games title, Continental Cup bronze and World Juniors gold. His best showing at the World Championships, however, is seventh in 2017. The Toco thrower is keen to improve on that performance here in Eugene.

“I’m very confident that this is going to be my best world games to date. I’m confident in my ability to fight for a medal,” Walcott ended, “and if that’s in the works for me, I’ll be happy to accept it.”

The men’s javelin qualifying competition takes place on Thursday. The final will be contested two days later.