It is day one of the Carifta Games and T&T athletes are rearing to go, hoping to leave their mark in the 40th edition of the youth event at the Montego Bay Sports Stadum in Catherine Hall in Jamaica. The local team, which is under the leadership of head coach Ali St Louis, arrived safely early Friday morning and picked up base at the beautiful, and as the name says, Grand Palladium Hotel in Montego Bay. The T&T athletes are on a quest to surpass last year's tally of 40 medals, the most ever won by the local track and field team. Late yesterday evening as the team left to participate in a training session, the schedule of events was yet to be completely finalised.
St Louis said, "The present schedule will have to be changed because some of the events are doubling up for a number of the athletes. "Later tonight after I meet with the technical committee then I will be sure as to how exactly the events will run." This morning, Michelle Lee Ahye will likely be in action as she seeks to defend her Girls Under-20 100 metres title when she lines up for the heats from 11.45 am (12.45 pm T&T time). Overseas-based Kai Selvon, who arrived yesterday afternoon, is also scheduled to line up alongside Ahye in that event for T&T. The boys' version of the race is expected to follow soon after and Jamol James and Ayodelle Taffe will look to advance in their respective heats.
Also, last year's silver and bronze medallist in the Girls Under-17 Shot Put, Cherisse Murray and Shauna Downey, respectively will go for success in a higher bracket in the U-20 Division. In the opening event, the Girls U-17 High jump, both Ayanna Glasgow and Meriah Freeman were to compete, Start time is at 10 am (11 am T&T time). The opening ceremony is at 4 pm (5 pm T&T time) In the evening session, long-distance runner Mark London, last year's Boys U-17 3,000m winner, will take on the U-20 1,500m while last year's silver medallist in the Boys U-17 1,500m event Nicholas Landeau will look to better that finish. Akeem Marshall is another T&T long-distance runner in the event.