aWhile the number of qualifiers for the 2017 Flow CARIFTA Games remained at 11, a few athletes bolstered their chances ahead of the prestigious fixture by improving on their marks previously set during yesterday’s final qualifier which was staged at the National Track and Field Centre.
Distance ace, Claudrice McKoy, sprint sensation, Kenisha Phillips and field standout, Chantoba Bright were those who improved to cement their places on the squad to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the 46th CARIFTA Games in Curacao on Easter Weekend.
In a herculean effort, McKoy had the clock as her only competition, shaved off exactly 10 seconds off her season’s best in the U-20 1500m event. At the first qualifier, McKoy stopped the clock in four minutes and 48 seconds, right on the AAG’s mark to qualify. Yesterday her winning time was 4m: 38s.
With senior national athlete Alita Moore pushing her in the 200m race, Phillips recorded a season’s best 24.51s in the half lap event to better her previous mark of 24.83s.
Bright, last year’s double CARIFTA Games silver medalist had already qualified for her pet events, the long and triple jumps. The Lindener then added the high jump to the list of events she will be contesting after leaping 1.65m. The jump was right on the qualifying mark set by the AAG.
The 11 athletes who have qualified to represent to Guyana at the event which will be hosted in Willemstad from April 15 to 17 are as follows:
According to IAAF World Athletics Club President, Lamine Diack, CARIFTA is “on par with the World Championships.”
The meet is considered one of the best development meets in world athletics. Having started out on grass tracks, with athletes staying in schools or other similar temporary shelter, the CARIFTA Games have come a long way. College and university coaches and scouts from the United States make their way to the Games each year in a bid to identify up-and-coming talent.
CARIFTA runs entirely under IAAF rules and has produced World Record holders, Usain Bolt, Darrel Brown, World and Olympic Champions such as Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, Kim Collins of St Kitts-Nevis and Pauline Davis-Thompson of the Bahamas, Alleyne Francique of Grenada and Obadele Thompson of Barbados. (Emmerson Campbell)
Chantoba Bright Female U18 Long Jump and Triple Jump
Claudrice McKoy Female U20 1500m
Kenisha Phillips Female U18 100m and 200m
Daniel Williams Male U18 200m and High Jump
Compton Caesar Male U20 100m and 200m
Anfernee Headecker Male U20 800m
Jermaine Browne Male U18 Long Jump and Triple Jump
Samuel Lynch Male U20 800m
Tortque Boyce Male U18 High jump
Natricia Hooper (USA) Female U20 400m and Triple Jump
Matthew McKenzie Male U20 5000m
