The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Triathlon Association (BTA) will host the 2023 CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon for the first time in New Providence, Bahamas, this Saturday and Sunday at Goodman’s Bay.

The event will feature about 200 athletes from ages 11 to 21 years old.

The athletes will represent 10 Caribbean countries, including The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Barbados, Jamaica, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda.

The host country will begin the event with the triathlon on Saturday at 7:30am and the aquathlon on Sunday at the same time along with the mixed relays later in the day.

Lori Roach, BTA secretary general, said there is an excitement surrounding this weekend’s CARIFTA event and she expects some tough competition between the Caribbean countries.

“It is always tough competition with these kids in the Caribbean but we have great athletes too and we actually have the luck of home court advantage so we know the course, the kids are familiar with it and we did a test event in May,” Roach said.

She added that BTA’s National Championships previously held in May was instrumental as it proved to be a test event for athletes to familiarise themselves with the course and weather conditions.

After being unable to host the event despite winning the bid in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BTA has fielded its largest team ever with 36 members preparing to shine at home this weekend.

The female athletes selected include Nai’a Belton, Taylen Nicolls, Lenika Hamilton, Tessa and Taylor Knowles, Issa Bournas, Chelsea Smith, Emma Barigelli, Kami Roach, Erin Pritchard, Anjaleah Knowles, Sienna Culmer-Mackey, Alissa Ferguson, Blue Gray, Madison Gilbert, Alanna Murray, Grace Farrington, and Layla Saidi.

For male athletes the selected team members are Sibby Potter, Lauchlan and Malcolm Menzies, Mathis Bournas, Kendrick Cargill, Ayden Bain, Lenin Hamilton, Jayden Smith, Callum Pritchard, Launy Duncombe, Enea Gervasini, Barron Musgrove, Jason Cates, Ellie Gibson, Blair Thompson, Kriston Rolle, Kyle Murray, Will Farrington, and Brian Burrows.

“We have a great group of kids this year because we have had the group for so many years, they are now aging into the top groups so they are the top competitors and we are really looking for some medals,” the secretary general said.

She added that she expects last year’s 13-15 triathlon silver medallist E Pritchard to medal along with Menzies, who also placed second in the male division of the same age group. Expectations are also high for Wood, who collected bronze in the 20-21 aquathlon division at the 2022 CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon in Bermuda.

Due to the nature of this event, the public is advised of subsequent road closures to accommodate the participating athletes.

The stretch from Goodman’s Bay to Baha Bay at Baha Mar resort will be reduced to single lane traffic from 6:45am to 11am on Saturday.

On the consecutive day, there will be single lane usage for motorists from 10am to 11am.

Team Bahamas will look to capitalise on the home turf advantage after placing fifth in the last two competitions.

The event is sponsored by JS Johnson, Albany, Westside Construction, Corner Bank, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, McVitie’s, Cycles Bahamas, Powerade, Panama Jack, Baha Mar and Bahamas Waste.