TT Carifta team seek quality effort in Bahamas

JELANI BECKLES

HEAD coach of the 2018 TT Carifta Games team Nadine Hamid, said despite the national squad being smaller than last year, there are quality athletes who will help TT perform at a high level at the Games.

The 47th edition of the track and field meet will take place in Bahamas from Saturday until Monday at the Thomas Robinson Stadium.

TT had a solid performance last year finishing with seven gold, five silver and 10 bronze medals to end with a total of 22 medals.

Hamid, discussing the team’s preparations said, “We had our final training session yesterday (Tuesday) at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. The team is ready. Everyone as far as we know, and as far as the doctors know from the reports, is healthy and ready physically. We are trying to get them in that mental state and ready for competition also.”

Hamid said despite some of last year’s top athletes not being on this year’s team, she expects a strong showing at the Games.

“I am not one to predict medals. We have a smaller team, (but) this year in terms of quality, it is probably on par with last year’s team. We don’t have Adell Colthrust and Khalifa St Fort, but the quality is almost on par with last year. We are expecting medals but to say we are going to beat 22, I honestly can’t predict that, but we really hoping to do well with a smaller team this year.”

TT will be represented by 42 athletes this year, compared to 51 last year. Colthrust won gold in the boys Under-18 100m event last year, while St Fort earned gold in both the girls Under-20 100m and 200m events. TT will have Tyriq Horsford and Ianna Roach to lead the way this weekend. Horsford won gold in the boys Under-18 javelin, while Roach claimed gold in the girls Under-18 shot put last year. Both athletes have now graduated to the Under-20 category.

There are also multiple sets of siblings on the team with twin brothers Onil and Onal Mitchell, Badal sisters Tamia and Taejha, while siblings Jabari and Natasha Fox will also make the trip to Bahamas.

Funding issues have been affecting a number of National Sporting Organisations in TT recently. Fortunately the Carifta team got enough sponsorship and assistance to make the trip possible. Hamid thanked president of the National Association of Athletics Administrations Ephraim Serrette and everyone else who helped make the trip possible.

“I must congratulate the president and his team for doing a very job of securing sponsorship for the team. They worked really, really hard to secure sponsorship and no one had to put their hand in their pocket to get money to go Bahamas.”

The TT team left the country at 2 o’clock this morning for the 2018 Carifta Games.

TT SQUAD

Boys Under-20 ­- Ako Hislop (100m, 4x100m - Kaizen Panthers), Che Lara (400m, 4x400m - Abilene Wildcats), Clarence Hannibal (discus, shot put - Falcons), Franklyn Stanisclaus (octathlon - Kaizen Panthers), Jabari Fox (4x400m - PFNJ), Jahi Hernandez (4x400m - Abilene Wildcats), Jaydon Antoine (long jump - Neon Wolves), Joel Andrews (octathlon - DPAC), Justen O’Brien (4x400m - Abilene Wildcats), Konnel Jacob (discus, shot put - Jaguars), Kriston Charles (5000m - Richard Jones Racing), Onal Mitchell (400m, 4x400m - PFNJ), Onil Mitchell (4x100m - PFNJ), Timothy Frederick (200m, 4x100m - Simplex), Tyrell Edwards (100m, 200m, 4x100m - Toco Titans), Tyrese Rawlins (110m hurdles, 4x100m - Neon Wolves), Tyriq Horsford (javelin - Zenith)

Girls Under-20 - Akilah Lewis (100m, 200m - Concorde), Aquilla St Louis (heptathlon - DPAC), Ianna Roach (shot put - Memphis), Janea Spinks (100m - Concorde), Joanna Rogers (800m - Cougars), Kymoi Noray (javelin - Zenith), Safiya John (heptathlon - Kaizen Panthers), Talena Murray (javelin - Zenith), Tamia Badal (100m hurdles - Couva Cougars)

Boys Under-17 - Avindale Smith (200m, 400m, 4x400m - Abilene), Che Saunders (high jump - Kaizen Panthers), Jordan Pope (4x400m - Concorde), Malachi Haywood (4x400m - PFNJ), Saeed Pompey (4x400m - Morvant Jets), Savion Joseph (long jump - Zenith), Shakeem Mc Kay (100m, 200m, 4x400m - Memphis Pioneers), Veayon Joseph (javelin - Zenith)

Girls Under-17 - Malika Coutain (4x400m - PFNJ), Natasha Fox (400m, 4x400m - PFNJ), Nicola Pesnell (4x400m, 100m H, 400m - Memphis Pioneers), Patrice Richards (hurdles, 4x400m - Neon Wolves, Rae-Anne Servillle (400m, 4x400m - Memphis Pioneers), Shaniqua Bascombe (100m, 200m - Cougars), Faith Edwards (long jump - Neon Wolves), Taejha Badal (100m, 200m, Couva Cougars)

Officials - Lucretia Burns (manager), Ronnell Barclay (assistant manager), Nadine Hamid (head coach throws), Wade Franklyn (throws), Michelle Pennie (jumps), Wendell Williams (jumps), Arlon Morrison (combined events), Analee Walcott (combined events), Kelvin Nancoo (sprints), Eric Mc Cree (sprints), Dave Sandy (sprints), Hydianne Harper-Simmons (sprints), Jason Pilgrim (physiotherapist), Kurlin Smith-Nicholas (massage therapist), Anthony Walcott (massage therapist), Clint Mc kenzie (massage therapist), Anyl Gopeesingh (doctor TBC)