The Battle Starts Today: BVI Stars Race For Top Positions At The World Athletics Championships

British Virgin Islands track stars Kyron McMaster, Adaejah Hodge and Rikkoi Brathwaite will fly the territory’s flag high at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Hungary from today, August 19.

First to take the track on the world stage is sprinter Rikkoi Brathwaite who will make his debut this afternoon in Round One of the 100m race in Budapest.

Brathwaite holds the BVI national 100m with a time of 10.11 seconds. He ranks 47th in the world in the 100m.

The August 19 much anticipated 100m first round
will be televised on all major networks, including on Digicel channel 102, at 1:43 pm.

Brathwaite is up against British track star Zhamel Hughes with a time of 9.83, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala with a finish of 9.84 seconds and American top sprinter Fred Kerley who has clocked 9.88 this year. There is no clear frontrunner this year as pundits expect a few surprises in the opening rounds.

Meanwhile, hurdler Kyron McMaster, who ranks 4th in the world in the 400m hurdles with a time of 47.26, is set to race on August 21.

The double Commonwealth champion will have to dig deep to beat Olympic champion and world record-holder Karsten Warholm who is the favourite to win the 400m hurdles this year.

In July, the Norwegian set a Diamond League record of 46.51 at the finish line.

Another man aiming for the top position is Brazilian Alison dos Santos who clocked a season’s best of 47.66. The race is expected to be intense from the start to finish.

Sprinting sensation Adaejah Hodge, who is currently ranked 14th with 22.33 at the finish line in the 200m, will run on August 23.

The BVI national record holder, and World Under 18 and 20 record holder in the 200m is up against two powerful athletes –
Jamaican Shericka Jackson with a time of 21.45 seconds and American Gabby Thomas who ran 21.60 seconds this year.

The 200m is one of the main events of World Championships which kicks off on August 19 and will conclude on August 27.