AFTER a two-year hiatus owing to the covid19 restrictions, the Republic Bank National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Relays Festival will return.
The event will be held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Mucurapo, on May 22 from 1 pm.
An NAAA media release, on Tuesday, said the teams will represent zones.
“Unlike previous years, the upcoming event will be contested on a zonal basis. Member clubs of the association have been assigned to zones based on their geographic locations. Four zones – North West, North East, South Central and Tobago – will each field two teams filling out all eight lanes at the venue. Zonal coordinators and assistant coordinators have been appointed to mobilise the clubs in each zone and to ensure that the best talent will be on show.”
The release said the meet will provide a competitive environment for the athletes.
“The Relays Festival is intended to provide local athletes with high level competition similar to that faced in the international arena. This year’s format is specifically designed to promote competitive balance through collaboration among clubs and with rivalry across zones.”
The NAAA said preparations are proceeding smoothly and three zones held run-offs over the last weekend to aid in the selection of their respective teams. Athletes will have a further warm-up this coming weekend at the Zenith Relays and Field Events Festival that will be held at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.
TT have a rich tradition and proud track record in relay events at major international competitions.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, TT were eventually adjudged winner of the men’s 4x100m event. The TT men’s 4x400m team won gold at the 2017 World Championships in London and at the 2019 World Relays in Tokyo.
At the most recent Carifta Games in Jamaica, TT won five relay medals.
They included silver medals in the boys Under-17 4x100m, boys Under-17 4X400m and in the boys Under-20 4x400m. TT added bronze in both the girls Under-17 and Under-20 4x100m events.
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