Payne performs poorly in Jamaica
...at World Juniors track meet
Stabroek News
July 20, 2002
Guyana's representative at the IAAF Coco-Cola World Juniors Track and Field Championships currently underway in Jamaica, Tai Payne, failed to impress in the men's 800-metre.
According to results from the IAAF website, Payne finished seventh of seven athletes that contested heat five of the 800-metre on Tuesday.
Payne returned two minutes 09.88 seconds in finishing seventh. The heat (05) was won by Manuel Jose' of Spain in a time of one minute 49.28 seconds, which is his personal best time over the distance.
Earlier this year, Payne returned one minute 51 seconds for the 800-metre, in winning a silver medal at the Desmond E. Braxter Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
At the Central American and Caribbean meet in Barbados earlier this month, Payne clocked the fastest time (1:53.28) in the 800-metre heats, but failed to land a medal. He placed seventh in the final which was won by Jamaica's Jermaine Myers in a time of 1:50.36.
The qualifying time for the World Juniors was one minute 50 seconds flat, and while Payne did not meet the required time, his name was submitted by the Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana (AAA) to the IAAF who accepted his name.
"The IAAF sent the application forms since January this year and based on Payne's performance last year, we nominated him AAA president Claude Blackmoore had told Stabroek Sport. Payne placed fourth in the Pan Am Juniors as well as the South American Juniors, and won a silver medal in Barbados at the Junior Carifta Games in Barbados.
Prior to the Jamaica meet, Payne spent time in Barbados to prepare for the world juniors along with a number of Regional athletes.
The training camp was organised by the Regional Development Centre in Puerto Rico.