DAEGU, South Korea: (Sun, 19, March): Martin Prime will begin his bid for retain his 60m gold medal at this year's World Masters (Over 35) Indoor Track and Field Championships in Deagu, South Korea later today, Sunday (T&T time). Prime will line up in the heats of the men's 50-54 60m events at 12:25 pm on Monday, 20, March (South Korea time). However, South Korea is 13 hours ahead of Trinidad and Tobago so Prime will actually run at 11:25pm on Sunday night.  The 2014 champion has been assigned lane six in heat seven and will be aiming to win his heat to automatically advance to semifinals set for later on Monday (4: 58pm South Korea time, 3:58am-T&T time).  The winner of each heat and the next best 11 finishers based on time will qualify to the semifinals.

Raymond Smith will be the first local athlete in action as he is listed do battle in the men's 55-54 60m heats  at 11:52am-South Korea time (10:53pm, Sunday-T&T time). Smith is slated in lane eight of heat one. The winner of each heat and next best 15 will be get a lane in the semi-finals, also set for later on Monday (4:54pm, 3:54am). The 60m finals are carded for Tuesday-Men's 55 (9:51am, 8:51pm-Monday); Men's 50 (9:54am, 8:54pm-Monday).  Prime and Smith will also run run in the 200m heats later on Monday Men's 55 (3:00pm, 2:00am; Men's 50 (3:40pm, 2:40am).  The semi-finals are on Wednesday (22, March )and the finals on Thursday (23, March). The Championships end on March 25.

Prime won gold at the 2014 edition in Budapest, Hungary in 7.44 seconds and was second in the 200m (24.23). Gwendolyn Smith also won gold, taking the women's 45-49 javelin title with a distance of 45.35m. Gwendolyn was scheduled to compete in South Korea along with Ayanna Hutchinson-Britton, Rodney Liverpool, Sasha Springer, Donelle Stafford and Joan Hospedales. However, they were unable to make the trip.  Prime was sponsored by the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) while Raymond Smith's travel expenses were covered by Methanex Limited and Run Safe Safety & Rescue Limited.

2017 World Indoor Masters (Over 35) Track and Field Championships, Daegu, South Korea, March 19-25

Click here to visit the World Indoor Masters website
T&T Entrants
60m
Men: Martin Prime (50-54:60m, 200m), Raymond Smith((50-54:60m, 200m)

Schedule of T&T athletes

T&T  at the 2014 World  Masters (Over 35) Indoor Track and Field Championships in Budapest, Hungary

• Gold-Gwendolym Smith (W 45-49) javelin 45.35m, Martin Prime (M 50-54) 60m-7.44 sec
• Silver-Prime (M 50-54) 200m-24.23 sec
  
• Fourth Smith (W45-49 shot put)-11.39m
  
• Fifth-Ahmad As-Siddiq (M65-59) 60m-8.45 sec, Rodney Liverpool (M 35-39)  high jump-1.93m
  
• Sixth-Albert St. Louis (M 40-44) 60m-7.30 sec, As-Siddiq (M65-59) 200m-28.69 sec
  
• Eleventh-Liverpool (M 35-39) long jump-6.36m
  
• Finalist-Philbert Ryce (M 40-44) 200m-disqualified in finals
  
• Semifinals-St. Louis (Men's 40-40) 200m-23.87, Lester Herbert (M 50-54) 200m-25.31 sec, As-Siddiq (M65-59) 400m-disqualified
  
• Heats-Terrance Skinner (Men's 60-64) -8.44 sec, Irvin Thomas (M 50-54) 200m-25.21, Herbert (M 50-54) 400m-56.47 

Prime and Smith at Opening Ceremony
Raymond Smith (right) and Martin Prime (second from right) at the opening ceremony of the 2017 World Masters (Over 35) Indoor Track and Field Championships in Deagu, South Korea.

(Photo courtesy: Prime and Smith) 

Prime and Smith begin quest for World Masters Indoors gold

by Athletics T&T, athleticstnt@gmail.com​​; March 19, 2017

Secondary Schools' Track & Field