The track and field season is off and running. Athletes are just about getting into gear as they prepare for CARIFTA in April and World Athletics Relays in May among other events. The National Association of Athletics Administrations of T&T held their developmental meet on the weekend to fast track their progress. Coach of Concorde Athletics Ken Barton believes the meet plays a pivotal role in testing athletes but he feels more is needed for their growth.
00:00Coach of Concord Athletics, Ken Barton had approximately 20 athletes taking part in the National Association of Athletics and Administration's developmental meet last weekend.
00:10In the early season, he has targeted the longer races with the hope of increasing the endurance of his short sprinters for the shorter races, especially ahead of Krifta and other regional meets.
00:21I wanted to put them to one over distance races, so when they come down to their natural races, they're much stronger and probably faster also.
00:28What events are you targeting for them this year?
00:31Well, various events, one, two and four weeks. Essentially, I like the sprint, the 100-meter sprint. I prefer those.
00:38The likes of Ravel Webster and Salil Marie Carruth, both of Concord won their respective heats.
00:44Webster won Section 5 of the men's 400 meters in 49.22 seconds, while Carruth won her heat in the girls' under 17 400 meters.
00:53The Concord athlete registered a time of 1 minute 3.00 seconds.
00:57Are your expectations for them to run sub-10s and sub-20s?
01:02I always go for the best. Whether they go eight seconds, I'm for that. I train them to come along and that's what they do and I'm glad to.
01:11Barton believes more meets are needed to improve the standard of athletics, but he has question marks about the feasibility of such an initiative.
01:18I would like to say going in all the areas, the counties and stuff and try to hold special meets to sort of bring all these people.
01:26But I don't know whether the interest is there. I don't know.
01:30There are a lot of good athletes all around Shenandoah Bigger and they can really perform, they can really run.
01:36There's only exposure which brings all the best in there.
01:40He also made an appeal for corporate sponsors to support the athletes as they pursue excellence.
01:46What do you think of the running of the event considering the lack of sponsorship and stuff?
01:50Well, the athletes performed quite well today and the meet has gone on buying the sponsorship.
01:57So I'm hoping the sponsors take it upon themselves and take it upon their own heart and come to see well.
02:02Let me sponsor this Chakkan field again because we are a great sport, we are one of the sports that bring glory to Shenandoah and Debego.
02:09So I think they should find it in a heart to contribute towards the development of Chakkan.
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