Payne for World Juniors meet ...Vaughn out
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
July 12, 2002
Despite not visiting the winners podium at the just concluded Central American and Caribbean Track and Field Meet in Barbados, Guyana's Tai Payne will fly the Golden Arrowhead in Jamaica at the World Junior Championships, beginning July 16.
Payne's Atoms Athletic Club mate Michelle Vaughn who made the world junior qualifying standard for the triple jump, will not be able to attend the meet, since she did not make the qualifying standard before the closing date stipulated by the IAAF.
According to Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana (AAA) president Claude Blackmore, the IAAF had stipulated that the closing date for entries for the world juniors, was midnight on July 2 this year, and Payne's name was submitted since January of this year, while Vaughn only made the qualifying standard on July 6, at the CAC meet in Barbados.
Blackmore told Stabroek Sport the IAAF issued a quota of one male and one female to each of its affiliates, along with the qualifying times and standards for each event that will be contested at the meet in Jamaica.
"The IAAF sent the application forms since January this year and based on Payne's performance last year, we nominated him and Gevita David, but the IAAF blanked David's name since she did not reach the qualifying standard" Blackmore pointed out, adding "last year Tai was fourth in the Pan Am Juniors as well as the South American Juniors, and he won a silver in Barbados at the Junior Carifta Games in Barbados, so we forwarded his name to the IAAF and they (IAAF) replied that they cannot accept David's time, so we had to get another female, but because the closing date for entries was July 2, and Vaughn qualified on July 6, she was late".
"Vaughn had done 6.14m in the long jump in Grenada when she competed at the Whitsuntide Games and we informed the IAAF, but they said she did not make the 6.15 as required" Blackmore pointed out.
Blackmore said "despite Vaughn's performance in the triple jump at the CAC, when one looks at her qualifying standard and at the performances of the top three athletes in the event, one will see that it would be a waste of money sending her to the world juniors".
Vaughn had hopped, skipped and jumped 12.80 metres in placing fourth in the girls under-20 triple jump which was won by Mabel Gay Tamayo of Cuba in a record breaking performance of 13.93 metres, eclipsing the 1994 record of 13.26 set by Suzette Lee of Jamaica.
Another Cuban athlete, Arianna Martinez Iglesi placed second with 13.43m, while Catherine Ibarguen of Colombia was third with 13.01m.
The qualifying standard for the world juniors is 12.59 metres.
Atoms' coach Foster Sampson said Vaughn's plight is unfortunate, but she is getting ready for the South American Games billed for Brazil from August 1-11.
Meanwhile, Payne is currently in Barbados preparing for the world juniors along with a number of Regional athletes. The training camp has been organised by the Regional Development Centre in Puerto Rico who are paying all expenses for the camp.
According to Blackmore, the squad is being managed by St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Amateur Athletic Association Keith Joseph.
"There are a number of coaches working with the squad, but Foster (Sampson) would be joining him today" Blackmore said.
Asked about the possibility of Forde being given the opportunity to compete at the meet in Jamaica, Blackmore said "the IAAF only wanted one male and Tai was chosen based on his performance last year, so there is no way Forde could have been selected".