The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER of the five teams the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will field this summer, the youngest group of athletes will look to lead the charge in the Bahamas’ bid to repeat as champions in the region.

The Bahamas’ eight member team is scheduled to compete this weekend in the 2015 CAC Age Group Championships in Trinidad and Tobago July 18-19.

Team members include Shaun Miller and Benjamin Clarke in the boys’ 13-14, Davon Johnson and Isaiah Farrington in the boys’ 11-12, Megan Moss and Tayla Lightbourn in the girls’ 13-14 and Anthaya Charlton and Paige Stuart in the girls’ 11-12.

The 11-12 group competes in the pentathlon, which features the long and high jumps, ball throw, 60 metres, 800m (girls) and 1,000m (boys).

The 13-14 group competes in the heptathlon, comprising of the long and high jumps, ball throw, shot put, 60m hurdles, 80m, 1,000m (girls) and 1,200m (boys).

At their final team meeting, the group was encouraged by longtime BAAA volunteer, Mrs Beverly Wallace-Whitfield, to represent the Bahamas to the best of their ability at all times, whether in the field of competition or on the sidelines.

“When you leave the Bahamas to go abroad to compete you are wearing three hats. You’re going to become the guest of the country you are visiting, you are an ambassador for the Bahamas, and the third hat is as a member of Team Bahamas. We want you to emphasise that because whatever you do you will pull together and be as one,” she said. “Listen to coaches and chaperones, be guided by them and if you have a problem they are there to protect your best interest.”

The team will be led by head coach Marvin Darville and managed by Sherry Francis.

Following the trials, Darville said he was impressed with the qualifiers that now make up the team.

“Looking at the performances, I would say that we have a strong team,” Darville said. “Being the defending champions, a lot is going to be expected of us, but I think this team can live up to the expectations. Looking at our under-13, we are strong all around in both the boys and girls divisions. Our under-15 competitors were strong in their individual events, so we will see how it works when we piece this team together. I’m excited about this team and I’m looking forward to seeing what they produce.”

Miller, a member of Bahamas Speed Dynamics, won his division with 4,894 points. He did the shot put with 12.17m (622 pts), 80m 9.95 secs (773 pts),long jump 5.88m (788 pts), high jump 1.82m (869 pts), 80m hurdles 12.02 secs (734),baseball throw 59.10m (622 pts) and 1,200m 3:59.05 (486 pts).

Clarke, competing under the X-Treme Athletics banner, completed the boys 13-14 division in second place with 4,512 points. Included in his performances were the shot put with 12.40m (634 pts), 80m 10.15 secs (735 pts), long jump 5.86m (785 pts), high jump 1.97m (977 pts), 80m hurdles 13.57 secs (574 pts), baseball throw 46.15m (509 pts) and 1,200m 4:33.63 (298 pts).

Moss, a Club Monica Athletics representative, won the girls 13-14 division with 3,744 points. Her performances came in the long jump with 4.83m (587 pts), 80m 10.14secs (735 pts), shot put 8.23m (433 pts), 60m hurdles 9.67 secs (647 pts), high jump 1.22m (404 pts), baseball throw 37.00m (420 pts) and 1,000m (3:24.04 (518 pts).

Lightbourn, competing for Fast Forward Athletics, was second in the girls 13-14 division with 3,416 pts. She did the long jump 4.17m (452 pts), 80m 10.21 secs (716), shot put 7.45m (391 pts), 60m hurdles 10.36 secs (537 pts), high jump 1.45m (582 pts), baseball throw 50.94m (549 pts) and 1,000m 4:29.34 (189 pts).

Johnson, representing Alliance Athletics, won the boys 11-12 division with 2,857 points. His performance included 60m 7.63 secs (803 pts), high jump 1.43m (566 pts), baseball throw 39.63m (446 pts), long jump 4.73m (566 pts) and 1,000m 3:30.66 (476 pts), long jump 4.19m (456 pts) and 1,000m 3:22.88 (526 pts).

Farrington, a member of Kids Athletic Academy, finished second with 2,669 points. His performance included 60m 8.39 secs (641 pts), high jump 1.46m (590 pts), baseball throw 40.53m (456 pts).

Charlton, of the Star Trackers Club, won the girls 11-12 division with 2,242 pts. She did the high jump 1.40m (541 pts), 60m 8.13m (648), long jump 4.24m (466 pts), baseball throw 24.65m (278 pts), 800m 3:01.57 (309 pts).

Stuart, of Sun Blazers Track Club, got second in the girls 11-12 division with 2,230 points. In the high jump, she did 1.25m (426 pts), 60m 8.12 secs (648 pts), long jump 4.51m (521 pts), baseball throw 32.40m (338 pts), 800m 3:03.36 (297 pts).

The (CAC) Age Group Championships are an international track and field athletics event for the youngest athletes (boys and girls between the age of 11 and 14 years) organised by the Central American and Caribbean Athletic Confederation.

The CAC Age Group Championships started in 1985, hosted in Curacao, and are held every two years. The intention was for athletes at that young age to have experiences with a variety of events.

Team Bahamas will defend its 2013 title won in Willemstad, Curacao.

The team, coached by Keno Demeritte, collected a total of 28,545 points to take the title. Overall, the Bahamas girls combined for first place with 12,788 and the boys took second with 15,757.

Prior to the win, the Bahamas had a previous 10-year drought and finished second to Barbados since 2005 in the biannual championships.

However, the Bahamas has won the title three times in 2001, 2003 and 2013.

The 2001 championships were held in the Bahamas for the first time at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex.

Olympians Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, Raymond Higgs and Shaunae Miller have all participated in the meet in the past.