Athletics: Sixth World Youth Championships-Ernesta and Labiche in action today |08 July 2009

Yannick Ernesta (100m and 200m) and Lissa Labiche (high jump), who flew to Südtirol, Italy, on Monday morning, are accompanied by coach Eugène Ernesta – a former high jumper and Seychelles’ record holder at 2.20 metres.

Yannick Ernesta will be the first in action today when he lines up in the starting blocks for the 100m heats.

The 100m quarterfinals are later today, while the semifinals and final are scheduled for tomorrow.

He will also compete in the 200m heats on Friday for a place in Saturday’s semifinals. The final is on the last day – Sunday June 12.

Female high jump record holder Labiche will take part in the qualifiers today for a place in Friday’s final.

Labiche qualified for the championships when she beat the entry standard of 1.73m on July 30, 2008 – the day she got the Seychelles national record with a height of 1.79m to also win the Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan indien gold medal. Her best height also went down as girl (U16), youth (U18) and junior (U20) records.

As for 17-year-old Ernesta, he booked his ticket for the worlds with performances of 11.12 seconds (in 100m) and 22.78 seconds (in 200m) during the Athletics Cup competition on Saturday April 4, 2009 at the Stad Popiler.

The world entry times were 11.35 seconds (100m) and 22.90 seconds (200m).
The championships’ opening ceremony was set for yesterday on the main square in Bressanone/Brixen.

Around 1,350 male and female athletes from 180 countries and five continents are competing in a total of 20 medal events.

G. G.