HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Regional officials are contemplating staging a severely scaled down version of the CARIFTA Games this year.
Donna Watson, president of the Bermuda Track & Field Association, has indicated that all reports about the demise of the Games are grossly exaggerated.
“I know there has been a lot of information on the web regarding the hosting of CARIFTA 2011,” she told the Royal Gazette.
“I would like to say that this information is not coming out of our official NACAC office. Please be careful of what is written on the web regarding CARIFTA, as some of it is not entirely true.”
She added: “The official word on where CARIFTA 2011 is going to be held, or if it is cancelled, or if dates are changed will come from our official office, and will be immediately passed on to all of the presidents of each association.
“It might have to be scaled down or some other provisions made, but I’m very positive that it will happen.”
The North American, Central American & Caribbean Track & Field Association has experienced difficulty in finding a country to host the Games, since St. Kitts withdrew from its commitment late last year.
Jamaica, Bahamas, and Trinidad & Tobago have all for various reasons turned down the chance to the stage the region’s marquee junior meet, which is usually held over the Easter weekend.
The Bermudians are set to stage next year’s Games, eight years after they first hosted the event, which saw Usain Bolt of Jamaica announce himself to the World, when he became the first junior athlete to break the 20-second barrier in the 200 metres with a time of 19.93 secs.
