Dylan Woodruffe, Frederick twins into U-20 100m finals at Carifta; Chinapoo runs under protest

Sports

HOST nation Trinidad and Tobago will be aiming to secure medals in the evening session on the opening day of the 2025 Carifta Athletics Games at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo after going empty-handed in the games' opening session on April 19.

It was a mixed bag for TT in the opening session, as the field athletes largely struggled in the high jump, javelin and shot put events, while several athletes punched their tickets through to the final in the 100-metre and 400m events.

Twin sisters Sanaa and Sole Frederick will be among those looking to medal in the final session, as they both advanced from a tense girls' under-20 100m semifinal round.

In the first of three semifinals, Sole clocked 11.72 seconds to finish behind Jamaica's Sabrina Dockery, who sprinted to a first-place finish in 11.47. In the final semi, Sanaa had an exciting fight to the end with Guyana's Athaleyha Hinckson. Both athletes were given a time of 11.70 as they cemented their spots in the final.

"I definitely felt the wind for the race. I tried to execute my race, but I didn't execute well," Sanaa told Newsday.

However, Sanaa is confident she can improve for the final as she chases another podium finish at the Carifta Games.

"I didn't go through my phases, but I'm just happy to make it to the final and I'll fix everything for the final.

"(Sole and I) want to win, so gold and silver is the goal."

Sanaa said running at home gives her an extra boost.

"No, (there isn't any added pressure running at home. It makes me excited and motivated to run. Just knowing that my family is running and the whole country is cheering for me, just makes me feel good. It makes me want to execute my race better."

Jamaica's Shanoya Douglas (11.45) had the fastest time in the semis.

In the boys' under-20 100m semis, nerves seemed to get the better of 2024 boys' under-17 200m champ Kadeem Chinapoo, as he false-started in his race before running under protest.

Chinapoo and the field were put on notice after Turks and Caicos athlete Ronaldo Registre was disqualified after jumping the starter's gun next to Chinapoo in lane six. When the gun sounded a second time, Chinapoo was guilty of taking off too early, much to the disappointment of the home crowd. Chinapoo was initially shown a red card, but he then crossed the line together with Guyana's Ethan Sam in a tight finish. Sam was given a time of 10.70, while Chinapoo had a false start next to his name.

"Since I was home, I was watching the times and the times of the people in my race was really close. I was a little nervous and the starter was holding longer than I expected," Chinapoo said.

"My coaches and everyone let me know I could ask to run under protest. I asked them to run under protest and they let me go through."

In the first boys' under-20 100m semis, Dylan Woodruffe didn't have such issues as he advanced to the final with a sharp 10.44 clocking. Woodruffe finished a close second behind Guadeloupe's Ylann Bizasene (10.43) and will progress as a non-automatic qualifier.

In the boys' under-17 100m semis, Carifta debutant Alex Seepersad impressed in the fourth and final heat when he won in a time of 10.78 – the second-best time in the semis. With only the winner of the semifinal heat guaranteed a spot in the final, Seepersad said the outcome of the race was hardly in doubt.

"No, (it didn't really put any pressure on me) because I did come into the semis with the fastest time from that heat. I was pretty confident I would have won my heat," Seepersad said.

For the final, which is scheduled for 5.58 pm today, Seepersad is keen on being in the top three.

"This run was pretty good. It wasn't my best, though, but it was pretty good and I'm glad I made it into the final with that time.

"Now, I'm just going into the final and try to run a personal best and perhaps medal."

Eden Chee-Wah and Kyah Hyson (girls' under-17 400m), Brian Scott (boys' under-17 400m), Kayla Charles (girls' under-20 400m), Da Shaun Lezama (boys' under-20 400m) and Mikayla Granderson (girls' under-17 100m) also booked their spots in the final in the opening session.

Earlier, in the girls' under-17 high jump, TT's Reyann Graham placed eighth with a jump of 1.45m, while Karissa Williams placed ninth in the girls' under-17 shot put in 10.76m.

In the boys' under-17 javelin, Tannon Niemeyer was seventh with a 50.15m distance, with Aaron Baird placing eighth with a 47.42m throw. Bahamas had a one-two finish in the javelin courtesy Ahkeel Williams (57.51m) and Wyatt Cartwright (55.74m).