Bennett explains Lyston Trials absence

Hydel High School track team head coach Corey Bennett says that the withdrawal of Carifta Games Under-20 200m champion Brianna Lyston from the National Junior Championships at the weekend was a precautionary measure.

He says he wants to ensure she returns to full strength for the upcoming World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, in August.

Bennett confirmed that a medical exemption was sought for Lyston, who did not compete because of an injury. He said that given the nature of the injury, it have not have been wise to have her participate.

"She was experiencing some discomfort," Bennett told STAR Sports. "We didn't think that it was necessary to risk her in a championship-type run, but she is coming on nicely. We are trying to get her ready, hopefully, for the games. We have asked for a medical exemption and hope it will be granted for her. She could have run but it was advised that she does not run because I think that could have set her back, and that is not something that we believed that we needed right now."

Combined, Lyston competed in 14 individual sprint events this year, including the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships, where she placed second in the Girls Class One 100m final, and won the Girls Class One 200m title in a Champs record of 22.53 seconds.

Bennett says that with the demands of the campaign and her approach to training, which he considers relentless, managing her health at this stage is critical.

"I think Brianna has always been delicate since she came to me, and this is no different," he said. "She has managed, for the most part, comfortably this year, as opposed to last year when she just came. I think with the long season, it just took a toll on her. I am confident that she will be back to where she was."

While he is focused on her immediate future, Bennett is also hoping that Lyston gets the support she needs when she heads to Louisiana State University (LSU). The announcement was made from LSU's track team's Instagram page last Thursday.