Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 01/Aug 22:36

Michelle-Lee Ahye, Leah Bertrand begin women's 100m qualification in Paris

FOUR-TIME Olympian Michelle-Lee Ahye and debutant Leah Bertrand hit the Stade de France track from 5.35am (TT time) on August 2 for round one of the women’s 100m qualifying event. The sprint pair kicks off eight days of track and field events for TT’s athletes and will be hoping to execute credible performances as the nation seeks to end its Olympic medal drought since the 2016 edition. The official start lists have not yet been compiled for their respective heats since the final line-up will be confirmed after four preliminary round heats are completed, from 4.35am. Here, the first three finishers from each heat and the next five fastest runners advance to round one, where Ahye and other top-flight contenders await. Ahye has never medalled at the Summer Games but finished in the top eight in three events at the 2016 Games in Brazil. She was sixth in the women’s 100m and 200m finals and fifth in the 4x100m relay with Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Semoy Hackett and Khalifa St Fort. Bertrand, 22, on the other hand, gets her first taste of the Olympic stage and will be hoping to make her mark as a rising athlete among the world’s best. On August 3, TT’s lone men’s 100m contender Devin Augustine faces the starter in the morning session. His event details are yet to be unveiled. The next day, one of TT’s favoured potential medallists Jereem Richards lines up for the men’s 400m from 1:05pm. Richards seems to be peaking at the right time as he ran a season’s best time of 44.18s at the London leg of the Diamond League on July 20. However, Richards is scheduled to contest the men’s 200m event (1.55pm) on August 5 and may have to drop one of these events to focus on the other due to the time frame between each event. On August 6, two-time Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott begins his men’s javelin qualification from 4.20am. Walcott is hoping to notch his third possible medal at this level and believes the Paris Games would be his final Olympic stint. Flying 200m world record holder Nicholas Paul and Kwesi Browne hit the track on August 7 for the start of men’s sprint qualifying from 6.45pm. On August 8, the women’s 4x100m relay team of Ahye and debutants Bertrand, Akilah Lewis and siblings Sole Frederick and Sanaa Frederick (reserve) begin their quest from 5.10am. Portious Warren, now at her seance Olympic Games, also vies for a spot in the women’s shot put final from 5.25am. Rounding off TT’s athletics performances at the Games would be the men’s 4x400m team of Richards, three-time World Championships medallist Renny Quow, and Games’ debutants Shakeem McKay, Jaden Marchan and Elijah Joseph (reserve). They run from 5.05am Closing off TT’s showing at the Games will be Paul and Browne in the keirin event on August 11, from 11.19am. The post Michelle-Lee Ahye, Leah Bertrand begin women's 100m qualification in Paris appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.