Bahamas is all set to host the 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games beginning today at the Thomas Robinson National Stadium. The April 7-10 event will feature the Region’s best teen athletes vying for medals and scholarship offers. As customary, Guyana’s athletes will be among them.
However the number of the nation’s representatives is still uncertain since up to press time, the majority of the 18 named athletes were still grounded awaiting a charter.
According to a source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Team Guyana may be forced to field a depleted outfit of “about six to eight representatives, but they are hoping to get a charter out to at least get all the athletes in Bahamas by tomorrow.” Several different travel arrangements to get the team to the Bahamas at an earlier date “fell through” according to the source. The source further stated that the athletic association is still optimistic of getting a charter to Cuba today to facilitate getting the athletes and the coaching staff to the Bahamas.
The opening ceremony of the Games will be held today from 16:00hrs. The opening of the games will be held at Thomas A Robinson Stadium and the Eastern Grandstand respectively.
From tomorrow to Monday, the competition among the teams will commence. The events will be the morning session in-stadium and the evening session in-stadium from 16:00hrs to 20:00hrs each day. Team Guyana’s outfit is set to be spearheaded by two-time javelin gold medalist, USA based, Anisha Gibbons.
Along with that, there will be a college discussion which is also known as Parents’ Meeting and Hamstring Injury Prevention at Eastern Grandstand from noon to 14:00hrs each day. The days will also feature the staging of Caribbean Cultural Village which will open at noon each day.
On Monday, the day will feature two events which are: The first event of the games will be BAAA- Let’s Move Road Race. The event will be held at ARAWAX CAY at 06:00hrs. Further, the second event is NACAC Congress which will be held at Andre Rodgers Stadium at 11:00hrs.