AS the Guyana team to this year’s Flow CARIFTA Games wrapped up their training over the weekend, officials are optimistic of their chances at the April 15-17 meet in Curacao.
Team coach Johnny Gravesande said much focus was placed on the newcomers to the Games and getting them to understand the kind of competition to expect in the Dutch Island.
“So far everybody looks on top of their game. We have to look at the newcomers mostly. This being their first time competing on such an arena, with athletes from different countries, they’re a little nervous but all still excited. I think after the first event for each of them, they will be a little more confident. We know the team have the right energy, and they just have to believe in themselves,” Gravesande said.
Four out of the 12-member team will be making their debut at the regional games, namely Onasha Rogers (U-18 Girls, 100m), Tremaine Brown (U-18 long and triple jumps), Guyana Defence Force’s Anfernee Headecker (U-20 Boys 800m, 1500m) and Tarique Boyle (U-20 Boys high jump).

The team sees the return of last year’s silver medallist Chantoba Bright and Natricia Hooper, who comes back in the triple jump and 400m. In addition to the long and triple jumps, this year Bright is also in the high jump.
As always, ahead of the team’s performance, Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) president Aubrey Hutson says he is positive about the team’s chances this year. But things are definitely going to be tough for this humble Guyana side.
Coming up against athletes from all across the Caribbean, especially those Jamaicans, Guyana athletes will have a tall order.
Guyana’s team pales in comparison to Jamaica’s 84-athlete crew, or Trinidad’s 51-athlete collection. The Bahamas are taking a strong 65-man team, and Barbados 28 athletes.
“From the last meet, based on what we have been seeing coming out of the rest of the Caribbean, in terms of their times, I think we are very optimistic about what quite a few of our athletes may be able to do at these championships. I am very optimistic about their performance. And I’m looking forward for a lot of medals to come back,” Hutson remarked.
Last year Guyana invested in sending a team of 15 athletes, with a return of five medals from only three athletes.
For this year’s team of only qualified athletes, they will only participate in events for which they have qualified.
With their performances so far for the season things are again looking promising for Bright and Hooper.
Bright in her most recent performance touched 6.01m in the long jump, while Hooper season’s best in the triple jump is 13.20m. There’s also Claudrice McKoy in the Girls’ Under-18 1500m, whose 4:38.56s SB, is right up there with what Jamaica have been churning out.
The team is set to depart Guyana on Thursday afternoon for Curacao.