The Tribune

IT is now 54 days and counting as the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations gets set to host the CARIFTA Games for the eighth time since the biggest regional track and field meet got started in Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1972.

The Bahamas first hosted the games in 1976 and has held it again in 1978, 1981, 1984, 1992, 2002 and 2013. The Bahamas will go on to hold the record of having hosted the games more than any other country.

As the games approaches, Tribune Sports and the BAAA will highlight some of the athletes to watch during this year's games, scheduled for March 30 to April 2 at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Today's spotlight is on two young female athletes who will be aspiring to represent the country in the under-17 girls' division.

Anthaya Charlton has qualified for the under-17 girls' 100 metres, having ran a time of 12.00 seconds at the Club Monica Track Classic over the weekend after running 12.03 at the meet in Jamaica two weeks ago, both times surpassing the qualifying standard of 12.06.

She will also be attempting to qualify in the long jump. She is the daughter of Laura and coach David Charlton and a member of the Star Trackers Track Club.

The 15-year-old is a ninth grader at St Augustine's College and is the younger sister of collegian Devynne Charlton, who has also competed at CARIFTA and was a member of the IAAF World Championship team in 2017.

Shaunece Miller has qualified in the under-17 girls' high jump with a leap of 1.64 metres or 5-feet, 4 1/.2-inches at the Roadrunners Track Classic to surpass the qualifying standard of 1.60m (5-3).

She is a 13-year-old eighth grader at Queen's College and a member of Bahamas Speed Dynamics. She is the daughter of May and coach Shaun Miller Sr and the youngest sister of Olympic 400m gold medallist Shaunae Miller, who was the Austin Sealy winner for the most outstanding athlete award at the 2013 games. Her brother, Shaun Miller Jr, was the gold medallist in the under-18 division as he made his first CARIFTA team. He has moved up to the U-20 division where he hasn't yet qualified.