Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Int’l Women’s 1500m to be scorcher Sunday
– Burnett pays courtesy call on Digicel
Guyana and Linden’s International middle distance track star, Marian Burnett
Digicel’s Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James (left) presents Marian Burnett with a gift while CEO, Gregory Dean shares the moment yesterday.
yesterday paid a courtesy call on Digicel at its Kingston headquarters ahead of competing at the third edition of the President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic in Linden on Sunday.
Burnett will compete in the Women’s 800m and 1500m with the latter race being dubbed one of the two international races expected at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground. The eminent Guyanese athlete said that she is looking to be impressive.
“I want to make an impression and put on a show. I am taking this very seriously because I want to qualify for the 2012 Olympics and this is all part of my preparation. I am going out there to be the best I can be,” the two-time Olympian told the media.
During her visit to Digicel, Burnett met with Chief Executive Officer, Gregory Dean, and Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James. The local telecommunications giant is the primary sponsor of the President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic for the third consecutive year.
Burnett said that she hopes to compete on the synthetic track here before she calls it quits, stating that she has no problem with the grass surface in Linden because it is where she began her career several years ago. She informed that she trains on grass in the United States.
The two-time Olympian and three-time ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ will face off against local and regional rivals when she laces her running shoes in the Mining Town on Sunday. She exhumed confidence that she will be victorious at the brief media forum.
Burnett, a former NCAA Indoor Champion, Central American and Caribbean medallist and local record holder, will be competing against two of the Caribbean’s leading middle distance athletes, who will both be here to represent their respective countries at the event.
Kenisha Pascal will be representing Grenada with Tonya Nero representing Trinidad and Tobago in the International Women’s 1500m. Those athletes will face off against Burnett, and Guyanese, Alika Morgan, Jevina Straker among others in the signature race.
Pascal, her male counterpart, Kimon Henry along with her coach will arrive in Guyana Saturday morning while Nero and team arrive early Sunday morning for the meet that starts at 10am with the sprint heats before a break for the Opening Ceremony at 2pm.
Pascal is quite familiar with Guyanese opposition after competed for a number of years against Morgan and Euleen Josiah-Tanner around the Caribbean. Josiah-Tanner defeated her last year in St. Kitts and Nevis with Morgan finishing third on that occasion.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Nero, who is on a US scholarship, has given a peak of her recent form at the Wichita Herm Wilson Invitational, with a modest 4:52.01 in the 1500m, which fell just six seconds short of her personal best, and can be called an impressive time.
These athletes among the local contenders that Burnett will spearhead will make for interesting competition at the MSC Ground in Linden on Sunday. Burnett has thrown down the gauntlet and one can expect an impressive race in the established Mecca of athletics.
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