By Dean The Sportsman Greenaway
Sports Minister Sharie deCastro, presents a $100,000 cheque to the BVI Athletics Association during the naming of the team on Friday
On Friday, BVI Athletics Association officials named 30 athletes to represent the territory in the 52nd CARIFTA Games in Trinidad and Tobago, over the Easter Weekend. There will be six sessions over the three days of competition starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning.
As of the seventh Dag Samuels Development Series meet on April 5, 14 athletes had automatically qualified and another five were close to the marks. Five boys on the team are scheduled to run relays only.
Sports Minister Sharie DeCastro, presented a $100,000 cheque to association president Steve Augustine, to help with expenses and for other competitions later in the year. “I’m certain this year we’re going to bring home some medals and we’ll see some persons on the podium,” she said. “Congratulations in advance, safe journey and I look forward to sitting in the stands and cheering you on in Trinidad. God bless you.”
Since winning six medals in 2022, the BVI won two medals in 2023 and one last year. When Island Sun Sports asked about the realistic expectation of the team since the medal count has fallen off, Augustine said he wouldn’t concur in saying that medals have “fallen off.”
“I think we are in a state where the competition level is heightened, performances are extremely competitive, and therefore, to put yourself in the bracket of winning a medal, it means that you have to be far beyond the average athlete,” he said. “We medalled last year with Mr. Frett (Tiondre) in the 200m and lucky for us, he’s back again in the same age category, contesting the same events. Certainly we look forward to him doing well in his events. We did really well in the relays last year and have some stronger teams. We expect those guys will go out there and grab a few medals.”
Augustine said there are some newcomers on the team who they’re giving exposure for future CARIFTA Games, so that they can perform on the level they expect them to. “But across the board, we’re looking at improved performances and we do have some people in position for medal contention,” he said.
Measuring the team’s success Augustine said, would be for athletes to improve on their times and distance marks.
While the BVI will field U17 and U20 Boys and Girls 4x100m Relay teams and an U20 Boys 4×4 Relay, it marks the second successive year that no U17 or U20 4×4 Girls Relays will be fielded. The last U17 Girls 4×4 medal was won in 2019 and the U20 Girls 4×4 in 2022. No boys team has ever won a relay medal. The BVI began participating in the CARIFTA Games in 1976 and has won 67 medals since 1978. Eight of the medals have been won in relays since 2012.
BVI Team: U17 Girls: 100m M’Kenzii Crabbe, Macayla Logan. Boys: Tiondre Frett, Ty’Rique Charles. 200M: M’Kenzii Crabbe, Macayla Logan. Boys: 200m Tiondre Frett, Ty’Rique Charles. 400m: Sam’Asia Leonard. High Jump: Deneil Clarke, Jameila Chambers. Octathlon: Andre Allen.
U20 Girls. 100m:Taryn Augustine, Shannia Johnson. Boys: J’Den Jackson, Mario Carter. 200m Girls: Cristal Daly, Taryn Augustine. Boys: 200m – J’Den Jackson, Mario Carter. Boys 400m: Jaheem Lennard-Joseph. 800m: Jonathan Lynch, Jahrime Allen. Long Jump. Girls: Cristal Daly, Shyra Stoutt. Boys: Jabari Pemberton. High Jump: Jah’Kyla Morton. Heptathlon: A’Sia McMaster. Girls Discus: Kijana Callwood, Makeda Christopher. Shot Put: Saviana Joseph, Romeena Davis. Decathlon: Paul Hewlett Jr. Relays Only: Antuwn Maduro, Latriel Williams, Lashawn Gibbs, Othniel Gillings, Shaumal Donovan.
Team Officials: Tarika Moses (Team Manager), Erwin Telemaque (Head Coach), Winston Potter, Annabelle Skelton-Malone, Jonel Lacey, Raphael Jack, Paul Hewlett, Rhennie Phipps, (Safeguarding Officer).
