St. John's University Athletics
Inaugural Aliann Pompey Invitational Set for June 18
6/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
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QUEENS, N.Y. - One of the most decorated Guyanese track & field athletes, St. John's track & field Assistant Coach Aliann Pompey will host her very own international track competition, the inaugural Aliann Pompey Invitational, this Saturday, June 18. The meet, which is part of Guyana's 50th Independence celebrations, will take place at the National Track and Field Centre in Lenora, a town just outside of the nation's capital, Georgetown.
Pompey, a four-time Olympian and former NCAA 400-meter champion, is a native of Georgetown and aims to host an international meet which pits Guyana's best against each other as well as other international talent. The Red Storm sprints and hurdles coach wishes to give Olympic-hopefuls another chance to run before the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, and has been attempting to host a meet of her own for years.
"Why not? I've wanted to do one for years. There aren't enough meets in our region, and each year we're producing more and more quality athletes," said Pompey. "I saw this as an opportunity to fill an obvious void."
The competition is supported by Athletics Association of Guyana and the Guyana Olympic Association.
More than 30 international athletes are expected to compete in Saturday's meet which will have 14 track events and two field events. Participating athletes hail from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Haiti, Ireland, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States and, the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"There are countries around the Caribbean that are producing really good athletes. When you look at what they all have in common, they have at least one good meet in their country where they can showcase their athletes," said Pompey. "I'm really excited about this meet."
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