Ten athletes from the Bermuda Pacers Club will be aiming to be in the fast lane tomorrow at the 2002 AAU New England Track and Field Championship in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The competitors will contest a range of track events from 100 metres up to 3,000 metres and two-mile relays as well as the long jump and high jump. They will compete in age-group categories, from eight-and-under to 11-12.

"We are hoping it will be good experience for the kids, especially those going for the first time. It will be good preparation before we go to the East Coast Russell E. Blunt track meet in July where about 3,000 athletes will be competing. This is a tune-up for that meet," said coach Cal Simons, who is taking a group to this meet for the second successive year.

The team, who leave the Island today, are comprised six boys and four girls and they will be up against about 250 athletes from the New England region.

Trey Simons and Justin Collis will be making their second appearance at the age-group meet while their eight other colleagues will be participating for the first time. This will also mark the first occasion that five of the young athletes - Kijuan Hodson, Dante Brangman, Adonai Laws, Shelby Hollis and Donnisha Gardner - have competed abroad. The other team members are Kiara Baxter, Venicia Raynor and Dante Leverock.

"It's an opportunity for them to develop their athletic talent further and to see where others their age are at," noted Simons.

Two chaperones and some of the athletes' parents will travel with the squad.