NATIONAL junior athletes preparing for the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games geared up with some solid performances at the National Gas Company National Association of Athletics Administrations Open Championships at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on Sunday.
The Commonwealth Youth Games will be held in TT from Friday to August 11.
In the men's 800m event, Nicholas Landeau of +One A Week won in a time of one minute, 50.19 seconds (1:50.19), national junior athlete Keeran Sriskandarajah of Memphis Pioneers ended second in 1:55.63 and Matthew Pulchan of Palo Seco Sports was third in 1:59.94.
Sriskandarajah is on the Commonwealth team.
Sriskandarajah, who is based in England, has a Sri Lankan father and a Trinidadian mother. He told Newsday he is enjoying the weather.
'The weather is so much nicer than in the UK.'
Sriskandarajah was satisfied with his performances over the weekend. 'Not so much my times, but a tactical 1,500m race to get into it. That was just my second or third 1,500m race this season…I am focusing on the 800m. In the 800 it is more of a time trial for me. I did not want to go out too fast and follow Nicholas (Landeau) on the first lap…I am happy to come away with a medal instead of a (fast) time.'
In the 1,500m race on Saturday, Sriskandarajah was third behind Landeau and Nicholas Romany of TT Road Runners Club.
Sriskandarajah will compete in the 800m at the youth games but is uncertain if he will participate in the 1,500m event.
Reyare Thomas of Abilene, 35, still showed she has the quality as she won the women's 200m crown in 23.50 to dip under the Pan Am standard of 23.62 seconds.
Janae De Gannes of Concorde, who will represent TT at the Commonwealth Youth Games, was second in 24.34 and Kaziah Peters of Simplex ended third in 24.35.
Former top national junior sprinter Shaniqua Bascombe of Cougars pulled up with an injury with 60 metres remaining and did not finish.
Kyle Greaux of Abilene Wildcats, with multiple champion Jereem Richards not in the final, won in a time of 20.74 to achieve the Pan American standard of 20.80.
National 100m champion Devin Augustine of Pt Fortin New Jets was second in 20.82 and Jerod Elcock of Abilene finished third.
Earlier in the heats, Richards of Abilene won heat one in 21.25 to book a place in the final but opted not to defend his 200m national title.
After the final, Greaux said he was hoping for a faster time. 'To be honest I am a bit disappointed with the performance knowing where I have been in my best years in comparison to where I am at now, but it is a work in progress coming back from injury and this is one of the necessary parts.'
Greaux has battled with injuries in recent years, doing surgery on his left knee in 2020 and now said he requires one on his right knee.
He said he will be trying to recuperate for Pan American Games later this year.
In other events, Keneisha Shelbourne of Oasics Athletic warmed up ahead of the youth games by claiming the top spot with a 1.68m leap in the women's high jump followed
