The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER two intense days of competition in the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium over the weekend, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations completed its trials for the Central American and Caribbean Age Group Championships and the team to defend the title is just about set.

Although the team is subject to ratification, head coach Marvin Darville said he’s impressed with the qualifiers, which came from the top two finishers in each of the boys and girls 11-12 and 13-14 age groups.

Team Bahamas will defend its 2013 title won in Willemstad, Curacao, when they travel to Trinidad & Tobago July 18-19.

The top finishers were Shaun Miller and Benjamin Clarke in the boys’ 13-14 heptathlon, Davon Johnson and Izaiah Farrington in the boys’ 11-12 pentathlon, Megan Moss and Tayla Lightbourn in the girls’ 13-14 heptathlon and Anthaya Charlton and Paige Stuart in the girls’ 11-12 pentathlon.

“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.”

• Here’s a look at how the top performances feared in their respective events:

Shaun Miller, a member of Bahamas Speed Dynamics, won the boys 13-14 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).

“I want to thank God because without him, I wouldn’t be here,” said Miller, who is completing grade eight at Christian Heritage School. “I was very proud of myself. I went out there and I competed to the best of my ability.”

Making his first national team, the 13-year-old brother of Shaunae Miller said he really enjoyed the high jump because of the showdown that he and Clarke displayed for the fans, but he has some work to do on his 1,200m because “it’s a hard event. So if I can get through the other events, I should be okay. Me and Benjamin should do very well because he’s a fierce competitor. He makes sure that you work for everything you get.”

Benjamin Clarke, competing under the X-Treme Athletics banner, completed the boys 13-14 division in second place with 4,894 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).

“Shaun was a fierce competitor, but I gave it all I had,” said Clarke, a 14-year-old who will be entering the ninth grade at St Augustine’s College. “My best performance came in the high jump where I did my personal best and I blew out the competition.”

However, at the start of the 1,200m, Clarke was one of three competitors who slipped and fell. He managed to get up and was able to finish in a good position to hold off Nathan Moss of Fast Forward Athletics for the final spot.

“The guy behind me stepped on my heel and I fell, but I was glad that I still finished and ran a good time,” said Clarke, who is finally set to make his first national team appearance after he qualified in the high jump for the CARIFTA Games, but was too young to compete in the event. “It feels so good because I know I worked hard to get here. I expect to go on the trip and improve on my performances and have a lot of fun doing it.” 

Megan 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).

“It was really tiring. The competition was tough, but I made it,” said Moss, who is preparing for grade nine at St Augustine’s College. “I really enjoyed competing in the long jump, the hurdles and the 800m. I have to work more on the high jump, shot put.”

Moss, 13, will be making her first national team, but she’s confident that with Lightbourn, who is back for her second trip to the meet, she will be okay.

Tayla 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).

“It was tough overall, but I executed and did what I had to do,” said Lightbourn, who will be entering the ninth grade at Queen’s College this year. “I think I did very well because the competition was very fierce this year. It was intimidating, but I came out strong. I enjoyed the hurdles and the high jump the most, but I need to work on my 1,000m and my long jump.”

The 13-year-old who competed on the team for the first time in 2013 said the competition will be stronger than what they faced in the trials, but she’s looking forward to competing with Moss as they represent the Bahamas.

Davon 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).

“It was what I expected. I did good in my races that I usually do good in,” said Johnson, the 11-year-old who will be entering grade eight at St Anne’s High School. “I had some downfalls in the longer race and the softball throw. I need to work on these events.”

As for teaming up with Farrington, Johnson said they are a good combination and they should do very well. “I expect good things from both of us because we push each other,” he said.

Izaiah Farrington, a member of Kids Athletic Academy, finished second with 2669 points. His performance included 60m 8.39 secs (641 pts), high jump 1.46m (590 pts), baseball throw 40.53m (456 pts).

“I worked hard and felt proud that I had faith in God and he was on my side,” said Farrington, who will be graduating from Temple Christian Academy Primary School this year.

The 12-year-old, who will be making his first national team, said he really “enjoyed the high jump because that was the first time that I did it.” But he admitted that before he travels, he will definitely have to “work on my 1,000. I was working on all of the other events, but I didn’t put as much emphasis in that event.”

As for Johnson, whom he will get a chance to compete with, Farrington said “he’s a good athlete, so I’m glad that we will be working together and not against each other.”

As for his expectations at the meet, Farrington added: “I expect to achieve what I work for.”

Anthaya 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).

“It was a great experience and an awesome feeling to make my first national team,” said Charlton, who graduates from St Francis Joseph and will be entering St Augustine’s College this year. “I enjoyed the high jump and the 60 metres because they were my best events. I have to work on the softball throw. I need to pace myself in the 800 and work on my technique for the softball throw.”

Charlton, 11, said she’s looking forward to competing with Stuart at the meet.

Paige 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).

“It feels great. The competition was okay. I just had to push and do what I had to do,” said Stuart, a student of Queen’s College who will be entering grade seven this year. 

Stuart, 12, said she enjoyed both the long jump and the 60m, but she struggled with her 800m.

Tito Moss, whose daughter Megan is on the team, will be travelling as an assistant coach along with Sherry Murray-Francis. Moss said based on the performances, they feel the Bahamas has a very good team.

“We were satisfied with the performances,” he said. “We have a balanced team and a good diversity of athletes from the different clubs. These are the kids that performed well and as the defending champions, we can hope that we can come back with the title again. We feel this team is strong enough, versatile and talented enough to get the job done. We just have to brush up on a few things like the high jump and shot put and we should be okay.”