BAAA ratifies 78-member team

The Bahamas will travel with as big of a team as ever to the CARIFTA Games over the Easter holiday weekend.

Following a very competitive Splice & Connect/BAAA CARIFTA Trials, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) ratified a 78-member team that will represent the country at the region’s premier junior track and field meet.

The team was announced in the Events Hall of the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium on Monday and will work out for about a week before preparing for travel. The CARIFTA games is set for April 19-21 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

“The team is a well-rounded team with strengths in a lot of areas,” said Team Bahamas’ Head Coach Dereck Wells. Wells is serving in a head coaching capacity of The Bahamas’ CARIFTA team for the first time. He said he is looking forward to the challenge of leading this 78-member team.

“We are strong across the board. I particularly like what I see with our hurdlers — this is the strongest set of hurdlers that we have had in a very long time,” said Wells. “There were multiple qualifiers in the hurdles — under-17 and under-20, 100 and 400 meters hurdles. All of them are really good and they should do well. The sprinters are good as well and I like what I see from the field events. We have a very strong team. This team is quite balanced and I look forward to some good things.”

Named to the squad are: under-17 girls (17) — Brion Ward (100m, 200m), Taree Forbes (100m, long jump), Keyezra Thomas (200m, 400m, high jump), Jade Knowles (800m, 1500m), Jasmine Thompson (100m hurdles-pending fitness), Jayla Smith (100m hurdles), Syrmiah Crawley (400m hurdles), Denika Gittens (400m hurdles), Alexandria Komolafe (high jump), Jazae Johnson (long jump, triple jump), Dallas Strachan (triple jump), Ahnae Smith (shot put), T’Arjahnaye Green (discus), Keely Deveaux (javelin), Deryn Rodgers (relay pool), Brianna Bootle (relay pool) and Daveigh Farrington (relay pool); under-17 boys (21) — Jamaal Deloach (100m), J’Mari Moss (100m), Eagan Neely (200m, 400m), Jonathan Higgs (400m, 400m hurdles), Arcady Thompson (800m), Kyden Thurston (1500m), Jahcario Wilson (110m hurdles, 400m hurdles), Rohman Rolle (110m hurdles), Obadiah Cherizar (high jump), Ainsworth Ferguson (long jump, high jump), Terrin Beckles (long jump), Lyndavion Storr (triple jump), Carmeljo Woodside (shot put, discus), David Douglas (shot put), Kaiden Kemp (discus), Ahkeel Williams (javelin), Wyatt Cartwright (javelin), Kamron Henfield (octathlon), Kristoff Munroe (octathlon), Jireh Woodside (relay pool) and Zion Bradford (relay pool).

In the under-20 girls, The Bahamas will be represented by a 20-member team. They are: Shatalya Dorsett (100m, 200m), Jamiah Nabbie (200m, 400m, high jump), Alexis Roberts (400m), A’Karee Roberts (800m), Erin Barr (1500m), Bayli Major (100m hurdles, long jump, triple jump), Darvinique Dean (100m hurdles, 400m hurdles), Kei-Mahri Hanna (400m hurdles), Koi Adderley (high jump, long jump), Gerlin Givedy (long jump), Anaiah Rolle (pole vault), Jade Ferguson (pole vault), Annae Mackey (shot put, discus), Terrell McCoy (shot put), Taysha Stubbs (javelin), Dior-Rae Scott (javelin), Aaliyah Evans (heptathlon), Khylee Wallace (relay pool), K’Leigh Davis (relay pool) and Makaiah Hitchman (relay pool). The under-20 boys also include 20 members. They are: Aiden Kelly (100m), Ishmael Rolle (100m), Zion Miller (400m), Zion Shepherd (400m-pending fitness), Ross Martin (1500m, 5000m), Jehiel Smikle (110m hurdles), Tahj Brown (110m hurdles), Zion Davis (400m hurdles), Morgan Moss (400m hurdles), Joshua Williams (high jump, long jump), Claudius Burrows (high jump), Kenny Moxey Jr. (pole vault), William McKinney (triple jump), Carlin Archer (triple jump), Ethan North (javelin), Nathaniel Smith (decathlon), Nijae McBride (relay pool), Everette Fraser (relay pool), Quinton Gordon Jr. (relay pool) and Emmanuel Adams (relay pool).

As mentioned, the head coach of the team is Dereck Wells. He will be assisted by Bernard Newbold (sprints), Kryshell Rolle (sprints/hurdles), Alexis Roberts (middle distance), James Rolle (jumps), Kyle Higgs (throws) and Kenny Moxey (pole vault). The team manager is Laketah Charlton and she will be assistant by Sophia Higgs.

One of the gold medal hopefuls for Team Bahamas is Jahcario Wilson, competing in the under-17 boys 110 and 400 meters (m) hurdles events.

“The goal is to go and win gold and hopefully set a CARIFTA record as well,” said Wilson. “It feels good to be back on the team. I worked hard for it and now it’s here. I’m looking forward to competing, and hopefully I’ll be able to bring back gold. I’m excited and I’m looking forward to doing my best.”

Wilson is on the CARIFTA team for a second year in a row. He goes into the CARIFTA Games with season’s and personal best times of 13.49 and 52.25 seconds which are near the top in the region.

Darvinique Dean is back for a third time at CARIFTA. She will be competing in the under-20 girls 100 and 400m hurdles events.

“I’m excited. I’m very proud to represent my country once again. Hopefully, this year, I’ll be able to come back with a gold medal or two,” she said. “I’m looking forward to going to Trinidad, being in a good atmosphere, meeting nice people and eating good Caribbean food. I feel healthy. God got me. I have nothing to worry about,” she added.

There were multiple CARIFTA qualifiers at the Splice & Connect/BAAA CARIFTA Trials at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium over the weekend, leading to a 78-member team being confirmed on Monday.

The team will leave for Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago on April 17 and return to The Bahamas on April 22. They will work out at home for about a week before preparing for travel.