The list of qualifiers for The Bahamas for the 2023 CARIFTA Games continues to grow.
A number of productive performances by young Bahamian athletes at the 3rd Annual Oaktree Sonja Knowles Track Classic hosted by the Red-Line Athletics Track and Field Club at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium this past weekend increased the number of qualifiers by nine, bringing the total number up to 20.
There were three qualifiers in the under-17 girls 400 meters (m) hurdles alone with three either matching or going under the standard of 1:07.00.
Darvinique Dean, of the host club, is set to enjoy her first CARIFTA experience, winning the race in a blazing personal best time of 1:01.45. She was nearly a full three seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, her teammate Bayli Major, who ran 1:04.18. Yulianis Akompi, of Quick Step Athletics, finished third in 1:07 flat, matching the CARIFTA qualifying time.
After a spectacular run in the heats of the under-17 boys 400m, Andrew Brown came back and ran even faster in the final. Running unattached, he clocked 49.41 seconds to go under the qualifying time of 49.42 seconds, easily winning that race at the Sonja Knowles classic.
Not to be outdone, Amari Pratt went under the qualifying time in the under-20 girls 200m. Pratt, of Star Elite Athletics, clocked 24.36 seconds to go under the CARIFTA qualifying time of 24.40 seconds.
In the under-20 girls shot put, Annae Mackey, of Blue Chips Athletics, had a toss of 12.91m (42’ 4-1/4”) to surpass the CARIFTA qualifying distance of 12.60m (41’ 4”).
After not qualifying in the under-20 boys 100m, due to a strong tailwind, Adam Musgrove came back and went under the standard in the under-20 boys 200m, winning that event at the Sonja Knowles classic. Musgrove, representing Bahamas Speed Dynamics, clocked 21.23 seconds to go under the qualifying time of 21.40 seconds.
Earlier at the meet, on Saturday, a couple of young ladies qualified in the sprints. Shayann Demeritte, of Swift Athletics, ran 12.10 seconds in the heats of the under-17 girls 100m, to go under the qualifying time of 12.20 seconds. She came back and ran 12.07 seconds in the final but that time was wind-aided. Dean was second in the final in a wind-aided 12.18 seconds.
Grand Bahamian Shatayla Dorsett, representing Kenyan Knights, qualified in the heats of the under-20 girls 100m on Saturday. She clocked 11.84 seconds to go under the CARIFTA qualifying time of 11.90 seconds. In the final, Dorsett, who was on the CARIFTA team in Kingston, Jamaica, last year, was second in a wind-aided 11.73 seconds.
Jamiah Nabbie, representing Fast Forward Athletics, won the under-20 girls 100m final in 11.67 seconds, but that time was wind-aided. Pratt finished third in 11.76 seconds.
The other 11 qualifiers for The Bahamas are Alexandria Komolafe (under-17 girls high jump), Taysha Stubbs and Kamera Strachan (under-17 girls javelin), Terrell McCoy (under-17 girls shot put), Cassie Thompson (under-20 girls 200m), Javonya Valcourt and Lacarthea Cooper (under-20 girls 400m), Calea Jackson (under-20 girls discus), Mateo Smith (under-20 boys long jump), Kaden Cartwright (under-20 boys javelin) and Brenden Vanderpool (under-20 boys pole vault).
The 50th CARIFTA Games is set to be held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium from April 8-10. The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) CARIFTA Trials is set for March 25-27 at the national stadium.
Next up on the local athletics calendar is the Star Performers Track and Field Classic set to get underway at 9 a.m. this coming Saturday at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The Star Trackers Athletics Club is the host club.