The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS a precautionary measure due to the threat of the coronavirus in the region, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture postponed its National Track and Field Championships on Thursday until further notice.

Public announcer Philippa Arnett-Willie made the announcement during the morning session of day one of the championships at the Thomas A. Robinson National Track and Field Stadium.

The announcement came shortly after Timothy Munnings, Director of Sports at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, met and informed the coaches of the 80-participating teams of the decision that was made by the Cabinet of the Bahamas on Wednesday night.

The championships, which got off to a late start, were scheduled to continue on Friday and wrap up on Saturday. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, however, is now busy trying to work out the logistics in housing the Family Island athletes until they can get the earliest travel arrangements to get back home.

More than 1,500 athletes were participating in the meet, which had completed the preliminaries of the 100 metres in all divisions - under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-20 on the track up to the postponement.

On the field, events contested up to the time of the postponement were the under-20 girls' high jump, under-15 boys' shot put, under-17 girls' discus, under-15 girls' javelin and the under-20 boys' octathlon long jump. The first event completed for the octathlon was the 100m.

The postponement was the first major sporting event affected, but according to Munnings, a decision has been made to postpone all other events with such large gatherings for the rest of the month.

That decision could affect the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations' final trials for the Carifta Games next weekend. The Carifta Games, scheduled for the Easter holiday in Hamilton, Bermuda, could also be in jeopardy.

Munnings indicated that the Bahamas Government is expected to make a formal decision on the postponement later in the day. BAAA's president Drumeco Archer said they are adopting a wait-and-see process about their pending trials and the actual Carifta Games.

There are no reported cases of the coronavirus in the Bahamas as yet, but Munnings said the government is taking every necessary precaution.