The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT will come down to who show up and perform this weekend to determine who will make the team to represent The Bahamas at the 48th Carifta Games, scheduled for the Easter holiday weekend in the Cayman Islands.

The final trials will begin on Friday at 5pm and will conclude on Saturday at 2pm. Following the trials, the BAAA will select, ratify and announce the team on Sunday.

Tyrone Burrows, who serves as the meet director for the trials, athletes will have to bring their A-game as there are at least 40 athletes, some of whom are in the same events, have attained the qualifying standards so far.

“We have over 300 athletes who have registered and with good weather permitting, we should have some good performances,” Burrows said. “In the events where there are multiple qualifiers, the trials is the end-all for those athletes who have made the qualifying standards so far.

“In those events, the athletes can’t hold back. You can not just take things for granted. In the trials, even if you have made the qualifying standards, when you should up, you will have athletes who may or can pop up and beat you. So when you get to the trials, you can’t sleep on anyone.”

Burrows revealed that there are a couple of athletes who have made the qualifying standard, but are not old enough to compete in the games. Athletes must be at least 14 years old in order to be eligible to participate in the biggest regional competition. For those athletes in the under-20 division, they can not turn 20 in that calendar year.

So far, Burrows said the most qualifiers are in the under-27 girls division and the least qualifiers are in the under-20 girls division. However, there are four qualifiers in the under-20 girls 400m, led by Doneisha Anderson, now at Florida State, with a time of 53.84, followed closely by her former St Augustine’s College team-mate Megan Moss, who has ran 53.98.

The under-20 boys high jump also have four qualifiers, inclusive of Shaun Miller, with a kleap of 2.12 metres; Grand Bahamian Tyler Missick with 2.0m; Benjamin Clarke with 1.97m and Travis Joseph with 2.07m.

There are also four competitors, who have achieved the standard in the under-27 girls 1,500m in Akaya Lightbourne in five minutes and 15.66 seconds; Jodie Ritchie in 5:15.73; Jasmine Mackey in 5:07.29 and Devin Cuffy-Bethel in 5:12.79.

But Burrows said one of those athletes is too young, so it will come down to a showdown between the other three for the two spots to compete in the race.

“Once you make the standard and you finish first or second in the trials, you would automatically go,” Burrows said. “So you can’t take anyone for granted. Coming out of the trials, we end up with about 15-20 more athletes who make the qualifying standards.”

In the case of the sprints, Burrows said where there are more than two qualifiers, they get a chance to make up the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays. Burrows advised the athletes to ensure that they come with their “A game” to perform at the trials.

The Bahamas will be out to improve on his second place finish at last year’s games here at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium where the team collected 35 medals, inclusive of 6 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze.

Jamaica tightened its stranglehold of the title with 44 gold, 27 silver and 11 bronze for a total of 82 medals. Trinidad & Tobago was third with 17 medals, including four gold, six single and seven bronze.

Here’s a list of the qualifiers so far going into the final trials this weekend:

U-17 girls

Anthaya Charlton – 100m – 11.78

Anthaya Charlton – Long Jump – 5.73m

Anne Marie Orakahi – Shot Putt – 12.72m

Akaya Lightbourne – 1500m – 5:15.66

Collinique Farrington – 400m – 56.83

Shaunece Miller – High Jump – 1.61m (HSN)

Kenya Forbes – High Jump – 1.63m (HSN) (St. Georges)

Jodie Ritchie – 1500m – 5:15.73 (HSN) (QC)

Javonya Valcourt – 400- 57.03 (HSN) (QC)

Collonique Farrington – 200- 24.44 (HSN) (Tabernacle)

Jasmine Mackey – 1500-5:07.29 (HSN) (Teleos)

Cuffy-Bethel Devin – 1500 5:12.79 (HSN) (QC)

U-17 boys

Paulino Boyer - 1500m - 4:35.51 (injured).

Stephan Farquharson – High Jump - 1.91m

KeyShawn Strachan – Jav – 61.27m

KeyShawn Strachan – Discus – 44.20m

Miles Yallop – 800m - 2:06.76

Mateo Smith – Long Jump – 6.81m

Richard Hardy – 800m – 2:06.33 (SAC)

Omar Kelly – 800m – 2:07.09

Omar Kelly – 1500m – 4:28.84 (HSN)

Mitchell Curtis – 1500m – 4:35.00

Wendell Miller- 400mH – 56.19(HSN)

Lovenski Tergenus -800m – 2:06.60 (HSN)(PJ Bethel High/Abaco Central High)

Denzel Sawyer – 1500m – 4:32.74 (HSN) (CI Gibson)

Otto Laing – 110mH-14.71 (HSN)

U-20 girls

Jaida Knowles - 100m - 11.68.

Doneisha Anderson - 400m - 53.84

Marissa White – 400m – 55.64

Megan Moss – 400m – 53.98

Rhema Otabor – Jav – 42.28

Jasmine Knowles – 400m – 55.89

Vinajah Adderley – Triple Jump – 12.34m (SAC)

Miranda Tucker – Javelin-38.60m (HSN (SAC)

U-20 boys

Shaun Miller – High Jump – 2.12m

Shaun Miller –Octathlon- 5818 (HSN)

Tyler Missick – High Jump – 2.00m

Benjamin Clarke – High Jump – 1.97m

Gabe Curtis – 5000m – 15:52.72

Denvaughn Whymns – Long Jump – 7.20m

Travis Joseph – High Jump – 2,07m

Terrance Jones – 400m – 47.77

Mathew Thompson – 400mH- 52.13 (HSN)

Vano Rahming - PoleVault - 3.70 (HSN)

Jaythan Belle - High Jump -2.05m (HSN)(Doris Johnson)

Michael-Angelo Bullard- Javelin – 63.64 (HSN)

Hugh Sean Rolle- Javelin -63.52- (HSN)