Two top-notch world athletes, Juana Arrendel and Felix Sanchez, will represent the Dominican Republic at the 8th IAAF World Championships in Athletics that will open in Edmonton, Canada tomorrow. The event that gathers the world’s best in track and field will take place from 3 to 12, August. This will be Arrendel’s first competition after she lost the gold medal in the Winnipeg Pan American Games in 1999. Her two-year suspension for testing positive for a minimum level of Etanosolol in a doping test expired on 28 July. Ironically, Argentinean Solange Witteveen, who won silver at the Pan Ams and thus was given Arrendel’s gold, tested positive prior to this week’s event in Canada and will not compete. Felix Sanchez, who trains at the University of California Los Angeles, will be competing in the 400 meter hurdles event. All eyes will be on Sanchez who last 22 July defeated No. 1 world ranked Angelo Taylor in a track and field event in London. Sanchez clocked in at 47.95, with Taylor registering 48.36. Taylor won the Olympic gold in Sydney, Australia.To follow up the event, see http://www.2001.edmonton.com or http://www.iaaf.org/index.asp
