Burns goes for PanAm 100m gold

Although not originally entered to race in the 100 metres dash, former Pan American Junior sprint champion Marc Burns will still get his chance.

This according to Ken Doldron, president of the National Amateur Athletics Association (NAAA). The flat races start today in Santo Domingo. Trinidad and Tobago double youth sprint sensations Darrel Brown and Burns made their way to the Dominican Republic where they linked-up with the rest of their compatriots, currently involved in the Pan-American Games. Brown, the world junior sprint champion, and Burns —- the runner-up, are entered and will feature in the 4x100 metres relay event. They are due to be partnered by world and Olympic 100 metres bronze medallist Ato Boldon, newly-crowned senior sprint champion Jacey Harper and Nicconor Alexander in their quest to secure a gold medal at the quadrennial multi-discipline championships. Brown left TT on Sunday while Burns travelled via American Airlines to Santo Domingo yesterday.

Contacted on Sunday, Doldron gave the reasons for Harper and Alexander being the two Trinidadians entered for the premier event at the Games according to the exclusive Newsday story on Saturday. “Darrel Brown and Ato Boldon were the original entries to represent the country in the 100 metres. But Darrel wrote the NAAA and informed us that he would be unavailable because of contractual arrangements to run in Europe.  “He indicated that he would be available for the 4x100 relay. He also informed us that he would be available to run the 100 at the World Championships. Marc Burns, through his representative (by word of mouth), had also indicated that he will be racing in Europe at the same time with Darrel,” said Doldron. “When Darrel and Ato were not available to be followed by Marc, we then selected Jacey Harper and Nicconor Alexander after the Senior Championships. Harper won the 100 metres ahead of Brown so he became the automatic choice to represent the country. “We submitted the numerical entries and subsequently the final entry by names to the Trinidad and Tobago Olympics Committee (TTOC). They are the ones who made all the travel arrangements and not the NAAA,” said Doldron.

According to the reliable source, Burns turned down an offer to race in Europe, the same time his compatriot Brown was racing at two major meets, to be available to represent TT in the 100 metres flat and 4x100 relay. Following an injury during the Collegiate Indoor season, Burns had recovered sufficiently and placed fourth at the prestigious NCAA 100 metres dash. With Brown, Boldon, Kittitian and Commonwealth champion Kim Collins and Barbadian top-rated Obadele Thompson out of the 100 metres fray, Harper and Burns could fancy their chances of sharing in the coveted medals. Brown has shown remarkable form and will definitely be an integral part of TT challenge for the sprint relay gold. But Doldron was unsure whether Boldon had arrived at the Games village because he has had no contact with team officials up to press time yesterday. On Thursday last, the immensely-talented Brown was narrowly edged out into third spot with a sizzling 10.17 secs, the same as Great Britain’s Jason Gardner who was given second to Namibian World and Olympics silver-medallist Frankie Fredericks (10.14 secs) in Austria. And earlier in the year in his first professional outing at the Pre-Fontaine Classic, the 18-year-old clocked a new personal best of 10.08 secs when he sped to the finishing line in second spot. With Burns, Boldon, Harper and Brown in that order, TT picked up the bronze medal at the last World Championships in Canada.