Caricom teams to arrive for Commonwealth Youth Games from Monday

ATHLETES and administrative staff from Caricom countries will begin arriving in Trinidad and Tobago from Monday ahead of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Over 1,000 athletes from over 70 countries will travel to TT for the games which will be held from August 4-11.

Seven sports will be held during the games – athletics/para athletics, cycling, swimming, triathlon, rugby sevens, beach volleyball and fast five netball.

Newsday contacted the Olympic Committees for different Caricom countries, and St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica confirmed their teams will arrive on August 2 via Caribbean Airlines.

Jamaica's committee said some of its athletes will also arrive on August 2, but more athletes will continue to arrive two days prior to their respective sporting disciplines.

Antigua and Barbuda's committee told Newsday the team will arrive on August 3, and St Kitts and Nevis on July 31 and August 4.

The hotels expected to accommodate athletes and staff include the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Radisson, Cara Hotels, Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort, Mt Irvine Bay Resort and Comfort Inn and Suites.

Officials from the Hyatt, as well as Cara Hotels told Newsday they could not discuss the hotels' preparedness to host the athletes and staff.

However, general manager at Mt Irvine Bay Resort Alpha Lorde told Newsday the government booked the entire hotel for accommodation.

But he could not say how many teams will be housed there as that is still being sorted out.

"We're ready for the most part. Obviously, you're going to have changes down to the very last minute – all around – that's just the nature of the industry. But by and large, we are completely satisfied (with our preparations).