You couldn’t have asked for a better weekend from Lisa Raye at the New Balance Nationals a few weeks ago. The West Warwick sophomore exceeded even her high expectations by capturing the 100- and 200-meter dashes in stunning fashion inside UPenn’s Franklin Field.
What’s next? A little time off with a well-deserved break, perhaps?
Not a chance. Maybe or maybe not, that will come in early August for the Wizards’ sophomore phenom and talented junior and older sister, Xenia Raye.
After competing and winning their respective 100- and 200-meter races at last week’s USATF New England Junior Olympics Championships, the Raye siblings arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday afternoon for the first international competition of their careers, one that comes with a couple of very important perks should they prosper.
The West Warwick standouts will be competing in the NGC/NAAATT Junior & Senior Championships (or Trinidad and Tobago Junior & Senior Championships), held at the Caribbean country’s Halsey Crawford Stadium. The Raye sisters earned the invite not only based on their successes this season, but also the fact that their mother is a Trinidad native.
Lisa Raye is listed as a favorite in the girls’ U17 100m and 200m events, while Xenia Raye is among the top entries for both races in the U20 division to be held on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
“it’s suppose to be Trinidad’s nationals,” said Lisa. “We’ll be running against most of their competitors.”
What makes this week’s meet extra special is that in addition to it serving as a qualifier for the World Athletics U20 Championships, it’s could also be a “qualifier” for the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 to August 11).
In an article published recently in the Daily Express, one of three newspapers on the Caribbean Island, it stated that Lisa Raye could challenge for a spot on the women’s 4x100m squad at next month’s Olympics. The World Athletic U20 Championships are slated for Aug. 27-31 in Lima, Peru.
Lisa Raye, a four-time winner at the outdoor states, is coming off one of the greatest performances by a Rhode Island athlete at the national championship meet, claiming gold in the 100m and 200m races at the New Balance Nationals two weeks ago. In the shorter race, she established a new meet and state record with a PR of 11.26 seconds and an R.I., mark of 22.77 for the 200m
“I knew that I was running against a lot of great competition so I knew that they would push me to run faster,” but I didn’t think I was going to run those times and have a meet record,” Raye admitted. “When I did, I was really, really shocked.”
The determined West Warwick star indicated that her dual victories at the New Balance Nationals has brought her confidence to an even higher level than it was before.
“It definitely tells me I can run faster with a lot more competition and it pushes me and stuff to PR,” she said. “It makes me want to train harder and be on and run my best.”
That, of course, will be what Raye is looking to do when she goes toe-to-toe with some of the Caribbean nation’s best this weekend.
Like her younger sibling, Xenia Raye is having her best year for the Wizards. The state 400m titlist recently raced to an all-time best of 11.68 to capture the 100m in the age 17-18 division at the Junior Olympics and went under 24 seconds for the second time this season with a winning 23.98 in the 200m.
“This weekend I’m just looking to compete at my best,” Xenia said. “If I can make it to the finals and make it on the team for Trinidad, it will be an absolutely amazing opportunity. But I’m just looking to be at my best, honestly, and to PR.”
The Raye sisters were extended an invitation to this weekend’s competition not too long after New Balance. Two weeks later, an opportunity that simply couldn’t be turned down awaits them in Trinidad & Tobago.
