The date for this year’s CARIFTA Games scheduled for Bermuda has been postponed once again to August 13-15 due to the CXC examinations.
According to President of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson the postponement may augur well for the sport.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic showing signs of decline due to vaccinations, we think a little more time will always augur well for the sport” said Hutson yesterday.
Originally planned for April 3-5, the 49th edition of the Games was then moved to July 2-4 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Games have been further pushed back to mid August since the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) plans to hold its external examinations between June 14 and July 16, dates which overlap the previously scheduled dates for the CARIFTA Games.
CXC’s decision was forced following the adjustment of school times across the Region caused by the ongoing pandemic.
The decision to further push back the dates of the event was announced on Thursday by Mike Sands, president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) during a virtual press conference.
In an immediate reaction, Hutson stated that “Being aware that most of our athletes are of that age who would be either preparing or writing those exams, the decision was taken by NACAC with support from the member associations to push the date back to August.”
Hutson added the date change may force the association and the athletes to choose between the Games and the World Junior Championships billed for Nairobi, Kenya.
“The only complication for athletes from this part of the world attending CARIFTA Games, is that the World Junior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya falls one week after. So the whole logistics of moving athletes from the CARIFTA Games in Bermuda to the championships in Kenya will have to be worked out,” said Hutson.
The postponement of the Games creates a crowded schedule of major athletic competitions for athletes in the Region, particularly juniors, this summer. The Olympic Games is still on the table, set for July 23 to August 8, in Tokyo, Japan, and CARIFTA’s track and field championships will commence less than a week later. The World Athletics Under-20 (U20) Championships is scheduled for August 17-22, in Nairobi, Kenya, and the 2021 Junior Pan American Games is September 9-19, in Cali, Colombia.
Hutson concluded by stating that “It is a great decision (to postpone the showpiece) and the more time is given to the Local Organizing Committee in Bermuda, it is better for them since they will have the opportunity to plan more. It will give them a better opportunity to make decisions on vaccinations, also a little more time to decide whether they can have fans in the stands or not.”
