Hampton Games get going today

THE 29TH annual Hampton International Games will get going today, following its formal opening by President George Maxwell Richards, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo at 4 pm.

Unlike recent years, there will be no high profile athlete in the two-day meet due to injuries and financial constraints, which have plagued the Games for a number of years. Close friends and national sprint champions Darrel Brown and Marc Burns, both students at Auburn University, USA, also opted out of the meet, with Brown still recovering from a leg injury sustained at the recent Carifta Championships while Burns will miss the event due to school commitments. But CARIFTA medallists Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Wanda Hutson, Cuquie Melville, Denele De Verteuil, Dion Rodriguez, Jamil James, Jamal James and Carlan Arthur will keep the flag flying for Trinidad and Tobago.

The international athletes billed to compete at the two-day meet are Antiguan sprinter Heather Samuel (100m and 200m), British quartermiler Lesley Owuso and seven Jamaicans — Delloreen Ennis-London (100m and 100m hurdles), Jenice Daley (100m and 200m), Michelle Pierre (400m), Winston Smith (100m), Jermaine Gonzales (400m), Danny McFarlane (400m and 400m hurdles) and Marvin Watts (800m).