By Neto Baptiste
A number of former athletes and administrators will be honoured during this weekend’s National Track & Field Championships to be held at the YASCO Sports Complex.
This is according to one member of the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association (ABAA) and coach, Kesswin Anthony, who said some events have been renamed in honour of individuals who have made major contributions to the sport, both on and off the track.
“We have the shot put male and that event is in honour of Bertsfield Martin who was our first Carifta gold medallist. The 1500 meters will be the Dale Jones events in both the male and female, the long jump, male, is in honour of Calvin Greenaway and the 3000 meters is in honour of Leroy Williams,” he said.
Martin, who is the owner of the popular Brownie’s Bakery, won bronze for Antigua and Barbuda in shot put at the 1974 Carifta Games. Greenaway who died in January of 2016, competed in the men’s 4 × 100 metres relay at the 1976 Summer Olympics. He is also the country’s national record holder in pole vault.
Williams (deceased) served as secretary general of the NOC for more than two decades, while Jones, a retired middle distance runner, specialised in the 800 metres. He won the silver medal at the 1990 Central American and Caribbean Games and the bronze medal at the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games.
Anthony revealed also that a number of regional athletes are set to compete during the two-day event, including the reigning St Kitts and Nevis 100 meters national champion, Ian Liburd.
“We have seven from St Kitts, seven from Anguilla but Dominica has shown some interest as well as Tortola but we haven’t gotten confirmation from them as yet, but for now it’s 14 in total, inclusive of St. Kitts’ 100 meters national champion from last weekend,” he said.
Meanwhile, national sprinter, Cejhae Greene, is looking forward to the meet with some anticipation, noting that it will be his first time running in an official race on the now certified surface.
“For me, it goes towards my world rankings which plays a major role in just me being professional, because the more I could move up in the world rankings then the better it is for me, and not only for qualification to these major meets but getting me into other professional meets and stuff like that, so for me, having a certified track is probably one of the most ideal stuff I could have, because the times will count and I could get some points out of it,” the athlete said.
The event will be held this Saturday and Sunday starting at 3:00 pm on both days. It carries entrance fees of $10 for adults and $5 for children.