The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

G’SHAN Brown, Daniel Ermilus, Anthaya Charlton and Otto Laing emerged as the cream of the crop over the weekend as the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations hosted its Youth Nationals Championships.

The two-day event, staged at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, served as the trials for the team that will represent the Bahamas in the inaugural North American and Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Age Group Championships.

The championships, which replaces the Central American and Caribbean Age Group Championships, is set for June 17-18 at the Hasely Crawford National Stadium in Trinidad & Tobago.

The boys and girls in the under-13 divisions will compete in the pentathlon or five events, while the under-15 boys and girls will contest the heptathlon or seven events.

“The trials was very competitive and the kids were very talented,” said Sherry Francis, who served as the meet director.

“We saw where some of the kids’ strength lies and where their weaknesses are. So the scores dropped up and down according to their events.We really had to wait until the last event to determine the winner.”

Based on the performances turned in, Francis said the team selected is a very talented one.

“The team is very strong, especially in the under-15 division,” said Francis, who will also serve as Team Bahamas’ head coach. “This is a very strong team.”

With the North American region added to the CAC region, Francis said the United States and Canada will increase the competition, but she’s confident that Team Bahamas will be able to hold its own.

More than 30 countries are expected to make up the competition. Team Bahamas, managed by Doris Wood, will leave town on Thursday, June 15 and is scheduled to return on June 19.

• Here’s a breakdown

of the four divisions:

Girls’ Under-13 pentathlon

G’Shan Brown, a 12-year-old from Fast Forward, accumulated a total of 2,331 points and will be joined on the team by Lanique Thompson, who competed unattached as she finished with 2,309.

In their five events, Brown clocked 8.88 seconds for 672 points in the 60 metres, soared 1.30m in the high jump (462 pts); the softball throw with 30.57m (350 pts), long jump with a distance of 4.12m (442 pts) and the 800m in 2:47.92 (405 pts).

Thompson did 8.91 (666 pts) in the 60m, 1.30m (462 pts) in the high jump, 23.87m (271 pts) in the softball throw, 4.48m (515 pts) in the long jump and 2:49.20 (395 pts) in the 800m.

Sherinique Sears of the Road Runners rounded out the top three with 2,300. A total of 30 competitors started the event, but three didn’t finish.

• Boys’ under-13 pentathlon

Daniel Ermilus, a 13-year-old competitor from the Road Runners, clinched the title with 2,657 points ahead of Carlos Brown, also 12, from Swift Athletics, who will be the second representative for Team Bahamas.

In their five events, Ermilus ran 7.85 (899 pts) in the 60m; cleared 1.35m (499 pts) in the high jump; 23.71m (265 pts) in the softball throw; 4.48m (515 pts) in the long jump and 3:15.18 (579 pts) in the 1,000m.

Brown did the 60m in 8.10 (838 pts), high jump with 1.20m (389 pts), softball throw with 30.91 (356 pts), long jump with 4.83m (587 pts) and 3:20.03 (546 pts) in the 1,000m.

Cayden, a 12-year-old as well from Kid’s Athletics, was third with 2,663 points. A total of 20 competitors started the competition, but three didn’t finish.

• Girls’ under-15 heptathlon

Anthaya Charlton, a 14-year-old Star Tracker, won this keenly contested division with 3,813 points as she held of Shaunece Miller, a 13-year-old Speed Kids representative, who had 3,771 to take the two spots on Team Bahamas.

Charlton did the 80m in 9.88 (824 pts), the long jump with 5.31m (681 pts), shot put with 6.77m (353 pts), 60m hurdles in 9.05 (756 pts), high jump with 1.50m (623 pts), throw with 22.12m and the 1,000m in 3:56.82.

Miller completed the 80m in 10.97 (624 pts), long jump with 4.65m (550 pts), shot put with 8.17m (431 pts), 60m hurdles  in 9.82 (635 pts), high jump with 1.53m (647 pts), throw with 34.05m ( and 1,000m in 3:27.6 .

Reshae Dean, another 13-year-old from Star Trackers, was third with 3,452. This division had 15 competitors that started the competition, but three also didn’t finish.

• Boys’ under-15 heptathlon

Otto Laing, 13-year-old Club Monica athlete, topped the division with 4,600 points and will be joined on Team Bahamas by Mateo Smith, 13, of Fast Track, who had 4,522.

Davon Johnson, 14 of Alliance Athletics just missed making the team as he finished a close third with 4,518 out of as field of 20 competitors, who started. Five didn’t finish.

Competing in his seven events, Laing did the 80m in 9.72 (857 pts), long jump with 4.92m (605 pts), shot put with 10.70m (556 pts), 80m hurdles in 11.22 (808 pts), high jump with 1.68m (764 pts), throw with 51.01m (554 pts) and 1,200 in 4:03.97 (546 pts).

And Smith did the 80m in 9.63 (876 pts), long jump with 5.91m (794 pts), shot put with 10.90m (565 pts), 80m hurdles in 11.83 (725 pts), high jump with 1.60m (702 pts), throw with 54.53m (584 pts) and 1,200m in 4:38.57 (276 pts).