The Tribune

DANIELLE Nixon and Taysha Stubbs were the latest field athletes to attain the CARIFTA Games qualifying standard.

At the Star Trackers Track and Field Club’s Road to CARIFTA Qualifying Meet on Saturday at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, Nixon tossed the under-17 girls’ shot put 12.85 metres and was followed by Extreme Athletics’ Terrell McCoy with 12.76m.

They both surpassed the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ qualifying standard of 12.63m, although it was the second time for McCoy, who on February 22 qualified for the first time at the Roadrunners Track Club’s Dianna Lynn Thompson Time Trials.

However, they still have to compete in the BAAA Final Trials this weekend - on Friday and Saturday - before the team that will head to Jamaica for the games is named on Sunday.

CARIFTA is making a return after a two-year hiatus as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It feels great because I worked really hard in practice with coach (Corrington) Maycock and I just wanted to qualify,” said Nixon, a 15-year-old 9th grader at Queen’s College. “In my warm up throws, I knew I was there, but in my first three actual throws, I didn’t feel that I was getting it.

“But on my last throw, I did it and I’m happy because Terrell, who has been my friend for years, has also qualified.”

Coached by Keno Demeritte, the 13-year-old 6-foot, 2-inch McCoy, who also plays basketball and softball at Windsor High School, said she’s looking forward to the CARIFTA Games.

“I honestly was just praying to God that I could do it again,” said McCoy, whose mark was on her sixth and final throw. “I was like God, I really need this assurance before I go to the CARIFTA trials.

“And in the end when I threw the mark, all I could do was hug my friend Danielle because she also qualified today just before I did it again. So I was happy we are going to CARIFTA together to compete for the Bahamas.”

Also on Saturday, Taysha Stubbs placed third in the under-17 girls’ javelin with a heave of 36.13m. She trailed her Blue Chips Athletics teammates Dior-Ray Scott, who won with 39.92m and Kamera Strachan, second with 37.23m.

While it was the first time for Stubbs to accomplish the CARIFTA standard of 34.39m, both Strachan and Scott produced standards of 37.25m and 36.36m respectively at the Dianna Lynn Thompson Time Trials.

Only two athletes can make the team for the javelin, which will make the final trials an interesting one for Scott, Strachan and Stubbs.

The other qualifiers on the list are Blue Chips’ Keyshawn Strachan in the under-20 boys’ javelin and Calea Jackson in the under- 20 girls’ discus.

Two B standards of 10.71 were achieved in the under- 20 boys’ 100m as Swift Athletics’ Carlos Brown Jr raced to victory in 10.57 and Fast Forward’s Keanmo Ferguson got second in 10.66. The A qualifying standard is 10.50.

Ferguson also came close to the standard of 21.15 in the 200m when he ran 21.70 and Unique Athletics’ Ian Dawkins clocked 49.69 that was off the standard of 48.28.

In the under-17 boys’ division, Tabernacle Baptist Falcons’ Jordan Williams ran away with the 400m in 51.27 that was shy of the B standard of 50.03.

The automatic standard is 49.05.

“I felt I did great, but I know I could have done better,” said Williams, a 15-year-old 10th grader. “I have to work on my finish a little more. I just hope that I can make the team. I want to thank the guys for pushing me so that I could perform my best.”

Williams also competed in the 200m, but was fourth overall in 23.17. The top three finishers were Fast Forward’s Berkley Munnings in 23.04, Red-Line Athletrics’ Quinton Rolle in 23.05 and Star Trackers’ Nijae McBride in 23.08.

They were all off the standard of 21.84.

Johnathan Rodgers of Swift Athleitcs did 11.34 to clinch the under-17 boys’ 100m, but was short of the B standard of 11.24. The A standard is 11.02.

In a gutsy performance in the under-17 boys’ 800m, Raywind Winder ran away from the small field on the final lap to post a time of 2:01.22, but once again it was short of the qualifying standard of 2:00.14.

The under-17 girls 800m saw Grand Bahama Heats Athletics’ Erin Barr give it a gallant effort, winning in 2:22.30, but was off the standard of 2:16.53. The 14-year-old said she will not let it deter her because she will be back for the trials.

“I came into the race looking for the qualifying standard. I put all my faith and hope in God,” said Barr, a ninth grader at Tabernacle Baptist. “I didn’t make it, but I will be back and hopefully I can make the time.”

Star Trackers’ Zaria Stapleton won the under-17 girls 100m in 12.73, followed by 4D’s Stallions’ Darvinique Dean in 12.78, while Roadrunners’ Iesha Hanna was third in 12.82. They missed the B standard of 12.20. The A is 11.96.

Dean also won the 200m in 26.36, but it was well off the standard of 24.58.

Star Trackers’ Amari Pratt doubled up in the under-20 girls sprints, taking the 100m in 12.10, followed by Ambassadors’ Brianique Strachan (12.65), but they were both off the B standard of 11.92. The A is 11.69.

Pratt, a 15-year-old 11th grader at St Augustine’s College, also came through in the 200m in 25.36 with Fast Forward’s Tiana Culmer in pursuit in 26.44. They needed to run 23.95 to qualify.

“Today, I did my PB in the 100m. I just came off an injury so to come out here and do that type of performance was just incredible,” she said. “This is my first year under-20 so I know I have a lot more work to do to qualify.”

Looking at the way the meet went, Star Trackers’ head coach David Charlton said it was fantastic and he praised the coaches, officials and volunteers for helping to make it a quick and smoothly contested event that finished well ahead of time.

“We had a beautiful day and positive participation from the athletes because they really wanted to meet the CARIFTA standards,” he said. “I believe we had four qualifiers on the field and Carlos had a legit performance on the track.”

Some of the top performances from the age group divisions came from Star Trackers’ Jayla Smith in the under-13 girls 100m (13.47) and 200m (28.36) and Xtreme Athletics’ Shardae Gilles in the 400m (1:14.27).

In the under-15 girls division, Spirit of Excellence’s Shekinah Johnson took the 100m in 12.44, Fast Forward’s Zoe Adderley claimed the 200m in 26.95, Roadrunners’ Jasmine Thompson won the 400m in 1:01.34 and Hurry Murray’s Breytisha Kemp took the 800m in 2:40.48.

The boys’ under-13 100m was captured by Roadrunners’ Shawn Ferguson in 13.24, while Team Velocity’s Kamron Henfield doubled up in the 200m (27.48) and the 400m (1:00.34).

And in the boys’ under- 15, Fast Forward’s Everette Fraser took the 100m in 12.24, Red-Line Athletics’ Eagan Neely won the 200m in 25.98, T-Bird Flyers’ George Nottage came through in the 400m in 55.44 and Hurry Murray’s Tieano Ferguson took the 800m in 2:25.57.