The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With the final day for athletes to qualify for the Olympics set for Monday, the second annual Blue Marlin Track Classic will provide a stage for competitors from around the world in a last chance meet on Sunday.

Starting at 4pm on Independence Day, the one-day meet will enable those athletes who are on the border line with the B standard to improve to the A standard, while giving those who have to prove their fitness a chance to do so.

Meet director Demarius Cash, a former Bahamian quarter-miler, said the meet will also provide an opportunity for all four of the Bahamas’ relay teams to secure one of the top 16 times in the world in order to be eligible to compete at the games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 5-21.

“We have athletes coming in from all around the world to compete,” Cash said. “This is going to be the final meet for those athletes and teams that haven’t qualified to do so, so we are expecting a very exciting meet.”

So far, only the men’s 4 x 400m relay team seems to be booked solid as they have posted one of the top three times in the world. As a result, Cash said they would not be contesting the 4 x 400m.

However, in order for the meet to constitute to a qualifier, at least three countries need to be represented.

Cash said the meet has been designed for the 4 x 100m relay teams to open up with the heats, starting at 4:15pm. The finals will be contested at 9pm just before the women’s 4 x 400m closes out the meet.

In between the relays, Cash said there will be a series of individual events, including the heats and finals of the women and men 100 and 110m hurdles, the final of the under-20 and open women and men 100m and 400m, open women and men 200m, 800m and 400m hurdles.

On the field, there will be competition in the under-20 boys and open men shot put and men and women open long jump, high jump and triple jump as well as the open women javelin.

Cash said they have had a lot of interest from athletes who wish to take advantage of the meet outside of the United States of America’s Olympic trials that is taking place this week.

“We have had a lot of athletes from different countries from as far as Ghana, who are expected to be here to participate in the meet,” Cash said. “We are looking forward to putting on a high qualify meet and so we are encouraging the general public to come out and support the athletes.”

Franchesca Clarke, the marketing director for the meet, said the Local Organising Committe is appreciative of the many sponsors who came on board to assist with the staging of the Blue Marlin Track Classic.