… Eight shortlisted as junior CARIFTA hopefuls
COMING off the successful CARIFTA Games trials, which provided the selection panel with a glimpse of the purview of potential representatives for the April 3-5 Games which will be held at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, eight athletes have been earmarked by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) for this year’s campaign. Parish Cadogan has been selected as the representative for the U-17 Triple and High Jump events while Winston Caesar will serve as the Long and Triple Jump point man for the U-20 category. Sprinters Tiffany Carto, Curtis Fraser, both belonging to the U-17 category, and Chavez Ageday, who is an U-20 competitor, are among the select few as they will be right at home as the representatives in the 100m and 200m events. Kevin Bailey, Jevina Straker and Jenella Jonas complete the team of all-rounders as Bailey and Jonas are the U-20 contenders selected for the 800m and 1500m while Straker will be defending her 1500m title in the U-17 category.

President of the AAG, Assistant  Superintendent of Police Colin Boyce, said yesterday that based upon the performances at the trials, in terms of the times and measurements turned in, the shortlisted eight are just about on par with their Jamaican and Bahamian counterparts as the AAG used the same qualification requirements as the two aforementioned countries.

He made notable mention of Winston Caesar’s performance in the Long Jump which exceeded the qualification standard for Jamaica’s trials, while the required Jamaican distance was 13.90m Caesar’s best jump was recorded at a distance of 14.07m.

This, along with the good showing of the sprinters whose performances were also noted as having little disparity with the Jamaican entry times, gives the AAG boss the confidence to say, “We are in with a chance.”

Boyce also shed light on the issue of the clashing timeframe which also incorporates the South American Youth Championships, which will serve as the continental qualifier for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, to be held in August in Singapore – a matter which Boyce disclosed was resolved by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) giving approval for the timings recorded at the CARIFTA Games to be valid entries for qualification for the Youth Olympics.

But once again the main impediment is the cost of airfare. Nevertheless the AAG hopes to send the entire team which also includes Head Coach, Lyndon Wilson and Chaperone Pamela Phillips.

According to Boyce the main goal is for this year’s impressive crop to go out and get as far ahead as they can at the Inter-Caribbean championship. “Once we can generate the funds we will send the full contingent,” Boyce explained.

He also mentioned that the times will serve two times over as they can also be used as qualification for the World Junior Championships which are to be held in Canada from July 19 to 25.