Sampson dismayed with Payne's performance
...at CAC meet in Barbados
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
July 12, 2002
Atoms Athletic Club coach Foster Sampson is dismayed at Tai Payne's performance in the 800-metre event of the just concluded Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Track and Field Championships which ended in Barbados on Sunday night.
Payne, a Mings Products and services sponsored athlete from whom much was expected in the 800 metres event, could do no better than seventh, despite going into the final with the fastest qualifying time of one minute 53.28 seconds.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport, Sampson said, "It's one of the strangest things I've seen from Tai. I don't know if its poor judgement, but in terms of his preparation, he was ready, but when he got in the race he just wasn't himself."
According to Sampson, Payne won the Barbados national 800-metre one weekend before the CAC meet. "I heard he ran a fantastic race and he went into the CAC 800 final as the firm favourite," Sampson stated.
The CAC 800-metre race was won by Jamaica's Jermaine Myers who clocked 1 minute 50.36 seconds in winning the event from Mexico's Juan Luis Barrios (1:52.36).
Third place went to Shaun Smith also of Jamaica, he registered 1:52.77.
"It was a strange occurrence, I don't know what went wrong, it was an experience for me," Sampson lamented adding, "He got battered in the race (spiked) but that's no excuse, it was quite an unusual performance."
Payne is currently in Barbados preparing with other Caribbean athletes for the World Junior Track and Field meet, slated for Jamaica from July 16 to 21.
According to Sampson, Payne had made the world juniors qualifying time for the 400-metre, but they (Payne and Sampson) opted for the 800-metre.
The qualifying time for the 800-metre is one minute 50 seconds flat.
Regarding his chances of medaling at the world juniors, Sampson said "I'm not going there to be a competitor, I'm pushing for a medal (referring to Payne). I have no doubt about his (Tai) ability. We're going out there to fight and I'm optimistic that he will do well. His chances are as good as anybody else."
Payne who won a silver medal on the same track at last year's Junior Carifta Games and gold medals at the Hampton Games (Trinidad) as well as the Whitsuntide Games in Grenada, clocked 48.84 seconds in placing third in his heat of the 400-metre boys under-20, but in the final, he had to settle for ninth.
At the Desmond E. Braxter Games, in Trinidad last month, Payne returned one minute 51 seconds for the 800-metre. This is .33 of a second faster than the 1:51.33 he did at this year's Junior Carifta Games in Bahamas.