A number of the island’s top and upcoming athletes got in some valuable competition when the Athletic Association of Barbados staged the Odd Distances And Field Events Meet yesterday at the National Stadium.
According to veteran sports director Esther Maynard, the event was staged prior to the start of the athletics season to give competitors the chance to ease into action by taking part in distances which were shorter or longer than the traditional.
“This event gives the athletes the chance to work more on endurance than speed and the field events athletes need plenty of time to develop and hone their techniques.
“While we would have liked to see more clubs and schools taking part in this first staging we recognise that the schools have only been back in four days and the meet is really for those athletes who are about ready for competition so we expect that the second staging next Saturday will see more athletes turning out,” said Maynard.
However, the doyen of local athletics, Maynard indicated that the turnout was very encouraging and she was very pleased to see the Alleyne School returning to the competition.
A number of the big guns like Sada Williams, Ayanna Morgan, Daniel Scantlebury, Pius Emilien, Raheem Skinner, Jaria Hoyte, the Williams sisters, Elizabeth and Jeal along with Hasani Lowe turned out for the event.
But, some of the younger talents likes Kaya Kellman-Wall who captured the victrix ludorum at Wilkie Cumberbatch on Thursday also seized the chance to tune up further for the 2015 season.
Clubs like BC Trac, Jump Start, Quantum Leap, Elite Distance Programme and the Alleyne School made up the groups which took part in the first edition.