The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Following a competitive, two-day meet - the Atlantis National Junior Track and Field National Championships - the BAAA has ratified and named the 49-member team set to compete at the Central America and Caribbean Junior Track & Field Championships in El Salvador.

According to BAAA executives, a balanced and strong team are among a list of competitors who surpassed the qualifying standards for the meet which is scheduled for June 29 to July 1.

"This year has been a phenomenal one for track and field in the Bahamas. At the junior level, the Bahamas finished second in the Carifta Games in Bermuda with 40 medals, the most in 25 years," said BAAA public relations director Alpheus Finlayson.

"There are some 35 countries in the CAC region. At the last championships in Santo Domingo in 2010, the Bahamas did extremely well, and we look to continue the trend and do so again this year."

Harrison Petty, a member of the BAAA public relations committee, called last weekend's trials an early test for athletes looking to peak on the heels of a successful season so far this year.

"The qualifying standards in some events are higher than the Carifta standards such as the U-17 Boys 100m, which is 11.00 for Carifta and 10.90s for Jr CAC and the U-20 Boys 400m which is 48.15 for Carifta and 47.94s for Jr CAC," he said.

"Our athletes will have to step up their performances as the CAC Championships will be contested by an additional nine Central American countries, including sports powers Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia.

"We consider Jamaica and Cuba the teams with the most competition. Based on improved performances since Carifta, our team of junior sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers should perform exceptionally well at the CAC Championships."

The CAC Junior Championships is held between the nations of Central America and the Caribbean islands promoted by the Central American and Caribbean Athletic Confederation (CACAC).

It is divided into the Under 17 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships held since 1978 and the Under 20 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships for girls and boys aged 17-20 held since 1974.

Many world-class and Olympic winning senior athletes competed in the championships in their teenage years. Usain Bolt won the 200m event in 2002.

No competition was held in 2008 due to a clash with the senior 2008 Central American and Caribbean Championships, which had been postponed from the previous year.

In the 2010 edition, a total of 532 athletes from 27 nations took part in the championships. The Bahamas previously hosted the event in its infant stages in 1980.