Antigua & Barbuda's Chavaughn
Walsh passes to Daniel "Bagga" Bailey. The OECS record holders will face Barbados, St. Kitts-Nevis in 4x100m Relay
showdown on Saturday night. PHOTO: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway
With the addition of Trinidad and Tobago's Women's 4 x 400m Relay
added to the 2nd OECS Championships line up as they seek to qualify
for Rio, BVI Athletics Association officials are now expecting 185 visiting athletes
and officials for the 2 day competition on Saturday and Sunday.
With the July 11 window for qualifying for the Olympic Games
in Rio closing, the competition has become a last chance qualifier for Rio, with
a mouth watering display of talent at the A. O. Shirley Grounds.
In all, all 9 OECS Countries-Anguilla, St. Kitts-Nevis,
Montserrat, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the
Grenadines, Grenada and hosts BVI-will be joined by non OECS Members, Puerto
Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago, making it the meet
the biggest to ever be staged in the BVI.
On a program already filled with hot action, Saturday's
4x100m Relays are sure to be barn burners when Rio qualifiers Antigua and
Barbuda, St. Kitts-Nevis and Barbados men line up on Big Blue, with all three
teams having run under 38.68 seconds.
St. Kitts-Nevis which is among the eight teams automatically
qualified for Rio by virtue of a finals berth in the IAAF World Relays last
year, will bring their 38.76 average from two races into the completion.
Antigua and Barbuda already assured a spot in Rio with their 38.07 average is
ranked as the #10 team heading into Rio.
Barbados at #17 with their 38.60 average will need a time of
38.59 seconds to bump Cuba from the #16 sport and book their ticket to Rio.
Saturday's Women's 4 x 100m Relay will be no less appealing with
Puerto Rico, St. Kitts-Nevis and the BVI as the headliners. Puerto Rico with
their 43.53 seconds average is the #16 team in the rankings and will be seeking
to hold on to that sport for Rio. The BVI who will bring a 44.05 seconds time
into the field will be joined by OECS record holders St. Kitts-Nevis.
With Trinidad and Tobago needing a time of 3 minutes 28.63
seconds to qualify, the Women's 4 x 400m on Sunday evening will definitely see the
20-year old All Comers Record record of 3:45.12 established by a St.
Kitts-Nevis quartet going out the window.
The Trini's will be looking to move from #20 to #16 for a
spot in Rio and comes into the competition with their 3:32.25 average from a
year ago. They will certainly get competition from Grenada, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines and hosts BVI and if Puerto Rico enters, it makes it another track
burner.
Opening ceremonies are set for 3 p.m. on Saturday with
action kicking off a 4 p.m. and at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10 for
adults, $5 for children and the limited VIP red seats for $15.
