Southern Games return to Skinner Park this weekend

After a five-year hiatus, Southern Games returns to a new home at Skinner Park in San Fernando, on March 16 and 17.

At the March 13 launch, held at City Hall in San Fernando, games’ chairman Anthony Commissiong confirmed the 2024 edition will feature track and field and cycling events, with a totally local cast of athletes.

Heats for athletics take place at the venue from 2.30pm on March 16 and the official competition gets under way on March 17 from 3pm.

This year’s event pays tribute to the life of late Jimkins Clarke, former organising committee chairman, and ex-national coach and athlete, who died in 2023. He was also a member of the original Southern Games committee that revived the event in 1990.

Organisers expressed pleasure at using the refurbished Skinner Park, whose revamped cycling track will be put to full use.

The San Fernando City Corporation (SFCC), together with the organising committee, is designing and marking a customised 200-metre athletics track on the inner field of the cycling track.

Several cycling and athletics clubs have already confirmed participation and those yet to do so can register before Thursday’s 4pm deadline.

In his address, Commissiong said invitations were also sent to four police youth clubs – Point Fortin, Siparia, Couva and Port of Spain – to help inspire and bolster the next generation of sportsmen and women. Commissiong wants the games to serve as inspiration for youngsters seeking an alternative to criminal activity.

“We want all kids to be a part of something that is positive. We have to keep doing things to get the young ones involved in positivity,” he said.

He thanked the SFCC for assisting the organising committee in helping bring back this event, which started in 1938, and was previously dubbed the “Olympics of the Caribbean.”

Commssiong said former top-class cyclists such Roger Gibbon, Leslie King, Gene Samuel and Ian Atherly, among others, in addition to ex-track and field standouts like Hasely Crawford and Wendell Mottley, all took part in Southern Games before and during their illustrious careers.

Chairman of youth development and sports in the city, alderman Daniel Dookie, added that the organisers expect a nice turnout of athletes and fans as the annual event makes a welcome return.

“We’re putting Skinner Park to optimum use and are using the various national sporting organisations to assist us, like the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation and National Administration of Athletics Associations of Trinidad and Tobago.

“The Point Fortin Games and Palo Seco Games are no longer staged. Young people used to look forward to these games,” he added.

The last Southern Games was held in 2019 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella and Irwin park Sporting Complex in Siparia. After that, covid19 put the games on the backburner.

Also at the launch were city mayor Robert Parris and Clarke's widow.