… The June 19 event is considered a ‘gateway’ to Tokyo
DESPITE awaiting confirmation from Guyana’s COVID-19 National Task Force, Aliann Pompey anticipates her fifth successful AP Invitational.
Scheduled for June 19 at the National Track and Field Center, the AP Invitational could be one of the most important track and field events in South America and the Caribbean, as it could be the last resort for athletes hope to be eligible for Tokyo this year. Olympic Games.
With Pompey pointing to all the systems in place for the successful running of his AP Invitational, he has one more hurdle to overcome, telling Chronicle Sport yesterday, that “the issue is that we are still waiting to hear from the COVID-19 secretariat. A number of issues have been raised and we want to ensure that this edition of the API follows all protocols, first and foremost, for the safety of not only the athletes but the Guyanese public ”.
According to the Olympic and Commonwealth Games 400m gold and silver medalist, with this year’s event on the World Athletics Continental Tour, it will be unlike any of the previous editions because of the grading points at stake. “We have a number of interested athletes and agents who would have reached out to us, so I think we will be able to fill the fields fully,” said Pompey.
St John’s University track coach noted that “it was just a temporary break, but we are pleased to say that there are enough athletes and enough interest to continue the meeting, until the COVID-19 secretariat is decided . . ”This year’s AP Invitational will be considered a ‘gateway to Tokyo’, as it can be the last resort for local, regional and international athletes seeking qualification for the July 23 – August 3 Olympic Games in Japan.
At the AP Invitational, which concluded its inaugural event in 2016, 11 athletes, all from overseas, moved on to compete in the Rio Olympics.
In February 2020, the AP Invitational was announced by World Athletics as part of its structured Global Athletic Continental Tour.
World Athletics had stated that the impetus for creating the Continental Tour was to provide more competition and win opportunities for more athletes.
The AP Invitational will be one of two events taking place in South America on the Continental World Athletics tour; the other – the Brazilian Grand Prix.
At the AP Invitational 2018, 2012 Olympic Champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Kirani James clocked 44.99 seconds to win not only the 400-meter Invitational ‘AP’, but also to set a new ‘Track Record’.