Track and field competitions got under way yesterday, starting with the men’s and women’s 20km race walks.
Preliminary and qualification rounds for other events will begin today August 2, including the women’s 100m the final of which will be held on August 3, while the men’s 100m final is scheduled a day later. The Gambia’s Gina Bass Bittaye will be among the world’s best to gun for a medal in this event. She will take part in the heats this morning with great confidence to reach the semi finals.
All sprint and middle-distance races will be held on the purple track of the Stade de France in Paris and the field events will also be held at the same venue.
The following women sprinters are going to be Gina Bass’s biggest opponents these coming days:
· Sha’Carri Richardson (USA)
· Shericka Jackson (Jamaica)
· Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (Ivory Coast)
· Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia)
· Ewa Swoboda (Poland)
· Dina Asher-Smith (Great Britain)
· Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica)
· Natasha Morrison (Jamaica)
· Daryll Neita (Great Britain)
Meanwhile at the Stade de France tomorrow, excitement is looming as Gambia’s Sanu Jallow marks her debut at 7:45pm today. She will wear the Gambian colors in the women’s 800m heats. Sanu is delighted that her first ever appearance for The Gambia started with the olympic games.
In another development Gambian swimmer Ousman Jobe missed out on semifinal qualification after finishing 6th in the heat.
“Not the result we all desire but yes he is an olympian and that’s massive. At age 24, his prospects are bright in the waters and now we focus on La28,” GNOC offcials said.
Let’s Go Team Gambia.
