THE ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION of Guyana (AAG) has shortlisted nine athletes for the 2015 CARIFTA Games set for St Kitts & Nevis, April 4-6, with eight locally trained athletes and one overseas-based athlete in the lineup. Over the weekend of March 7-8, seven athletes made the qualifying standards set out by the AAG, with all of them doing so in the Under-18 division.

Those shortlisted are Compton Caesar for the 100m, 200m and Matthew McKenzie for the 1500m, 3000m, with Kenisha Phillips (200m), Cassie George (1500m), Claudrice McKenzie (3000m), Chantoba Bright (long and triple jump) and Natricia Hooper (triple jump) being the females selected by the AAG.
Hooper won the triple jump during last Sunday’s trials that was hosted by the AAG at the Guyana Defence Force ground, with her measurement being 12.26m while Bright registered 11.55m. Both athletes surpassed the qualifying distance which was 11.35.
In addition, the council considered the times of all the athletes in the Under-20 division and how close they were to the qualifying standards set and named Ernesto Thomas for the 800m and 1500m events.
Added to the team is overseas-based sprinter Brenessa Thompson who has been having an outstanding indoor season in the USA, with the AAG registering her for the Under-20 100m and 200m events. Yvonne October is the manager. A coach will be named at a later date.