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By Neto Baptiste
Sprinters LaNica Locker, Geolyna Dowdye and Ajani Daley, will represent Antigua and Barbuda at this year’s Junior Pan American Games slated for August 9-23 in Paraguay.
This was revealed by one member of the Antigua and Barbuda Athletic Association (ABAA) and coach, Kesswin Anthony, who said the three athletes qualified for the Games based on current Pan American Rankings.
“A few years ago, we had two athletes go to the Pan American Under-20 that is put on by NACAC [North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association] and that Games has since been moved to October; it was supposed to be the 12 and 13 of July but has since been moved to October. The Pan American Under-23 Games is a Games in itself that the NOC is responsible for so it’s a multi-sports games which comprises of swimming, tennis and athletics and so forth. Our quota for that Games is three athletes and based on World Athletics rankings, the three athletes that will be attending those Games for us will be Ajani Daley, LaNica Locker and Geolyna Dowdye,” he said.
However, Anthony said that athletes will be selected by the association to compete in another Pan American junior games and that their participation and success at this weekend’s nationals will carry significant weight where selection is concerned.
“In relation to the NACAC open championships, it’s very imperative that the athletes do compete for that because there is no qualification for the NACAC seniors. It’s you pick your best athletes as a federation to send to that game so you don’t really want a situation where you’re picking a team, let’s say, from the 100 meters and you pick two guys.
“One person ran fast overseas but they did not so the two guys you pick now, it becomes a little back and forth as to why this person, or why not me, but you didn’t come home to run so when you have these games with now qualification standards, it is always important for the athletes to come home, run, finish in the top two and earn your spot,” he said.
All three athletes are earmarked to compete during the 2025 National Track & Feld Championships slated for this Saturday and Sunday at the YASCO Sports Complex.
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