The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bdstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Almost every year, there are at least one or two sibling pairs who make an impact as members of the Bahamas Carifta team in the biggest junior regional track and field competition.

This year, as the 49th edition of the event returns to Kingston, Jamaica over the Easter holiday weekend after a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, there are two sets of siblings on the 54-member team that will represent the Bahamas.

One of them is the brother/sister combo of Keyshawn and Kamera Strachan who have been a force to reckon with in the javelin in the under-20 boys and under-17 girls divisions from the Blue Chip Athletics.

There’s another versatile pair of sisters from Fast Forward Track Club, who are competing in the under-17 girls division. They are long/high jumper Koi Adderley and Zoe Adderley, who will be participating in the triple jump.

Koi, the older of the two, was the first to get her bags packed when she qualified in March at the Road Runners Track Club’s Dianne Lynn Thompson Memorial Time Trials Classic at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

Zoe, however, didn’t want to be left at home and so she turned in her feat at the Bahamas Associations of Athletic Association’s final trials over the weekend at the stadium.

The duo are also cousins to Dior-Ray Scott, who qualified along with Kamera Strachan in the under-17 girls javelin.

Koi, a 15-year-old 10th grader at the International School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology, said she was happy to be the pacesetter for her younger sister.

“In the long jump, I was hoping to get the A standard, but I fell short and I got the B standard,” she said of her winning jump of 1.62m (or 5-feet, 3 3/4-inches) that matched the BAAA’s automatic standard.

“For high jump, I did 1.62m (5-3 3/4), the same height that I did in the earlier meet to qualify again with the A standard. But I believe if I can jump at least 1.65m (5-5) that would put me in a good position to win a medal.”

She said she’s still thrilled to know that she has made her first Carifta team and now she gets to share the opportunity with her sister and cousin making the journey as teammates.

“I’m very proud of her (Zoe). She is only 13 and I know she will enjoy herself and that makes me feel ever better about this experience,” she said.

“I am so very proud of myself and I know we will enjoy it because we also have our cousin on the team. So I think it’s going to be a good family affair, especially if we all can come back with a medal.”

The younger Adderley, Zoe, who is also a student of the International School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology, said after watching her big sister and cousin achieve their qualifying feats, she didn’t want to be left home for the holidays.

“I’m amazed. I’m very proud of myself,” the younger of the crew at just 13.

“I still have three more years to compete in the under-17 division, so I will just use this one as an experience trip.

“Hopefully, the next few times, I will be able to apply myself and be in a much better position to compete for a medal. But if the opportunity comes in Jamaica, I will be going for it.”

In making her debut in the event, Zoe Adderley soared to a personal best of 11.73m (38-6) in the triple jump and is expected to be competing along with Lanaisha Lubin, who did 11.62m (38-1 1/2) to also make the team.

“I just want to go there and have a good time,” she said.

“I just felt the adrenaline. I was just excited and I knew that I could do it. I am a very joyful person and I knew that I could do it and I did it.”

Older sister Koi said the feeling is mutual, although she is expected to have some company in the long jump with Jamiah Nabbie as a qualifier. While Adderley did 5.46m (17-11), Nabbie trailed with 5.42m (17-9 1/2).

“I’m looking forward to the experience and hoping to win a medal,” she said.

The Adderleys will leave on Wednesday with the rest of Team Bahamas for the competition that will take place at the National Stadium in Kingston from Saturday to Monday, April 16-18.