The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

St Anne's High School's Acacia Astwood has been one of the most consistent local field competitors as she prepares to represent the Bahamas in the CARIFTA Games here over the Easter holiday weekend.

And if she is successful in making the team, the Blue Chip Athletics Throwers Club thrower said her goal is to improve on the bronze medal she won in the under-20 girls' discus at the games last year in Willemstad, Curacao.

Over the weekend at the 15th Star Performers Track Classic at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, hosted by the Star Trackers and held under the patronage of sponsors JR and Karen McDonald, Astwood surpassed the qualifying standard of 41 metres for the second consecutive meet.

The 17-year-old 12th grader was one of two throwers who would have done the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations' qualifying standards on the field with four attaining it on the track, but it's not official as there was no wind-reading system in place. Additionally, there was a power failure that forced officials to post the hand times for some of the events.

"I feel pretty good about it because I'm becoming more consistent with it," Astwood said. "Last week I threw 45 (metres) and this week I threw 45 (metres), so it's basically telling me that I have a lot more to achieve. I can only get better with my meets."

Looking at her performances, Astwood said it's all about improving on her accomplishments last year and her goal is to throw at least 53-55 metres before she heads off to college where she's had a few offers, but yet to decide on where she would like to go.

"With the support from my family, my friends and my coach (Corrington Maycock), I know that I can only get better," Astwood stated. "So as the season progresses and we get ready for CARIFTA, I know that I will improve my performances.

"I want to be on top of the podium this year. Last year, I got a bronze and this year, I want the gold. We have been correcting some stuff in practice, but every meet we realise that we have things that we need to perfect and that is what we are doing."

Maycock, the head coach of the Blue Chip Athletics Throwers, said Astwood is right on target for a great season.

"Coming from one year of throwing, she has done a wonderful job, picking up the technique in throwing the discus," Maycock said.

"We're also trying to get her to build up her performance in the shot put because she will also need that when she goes to college. "She's already had a number of schools who have offered her scholarships, but right now, we're not just focusing on Carifta, but the goal is to get her ready for the World Juniors. That is what we have pour programme geared towards."

But at this point in the season, Maycock said Astwood has far surpassed all expectations and he proclaimed that the sky is the limit in terms of what she is capable of doing this year.

The other competitor to achieve the Carifta qualifying standards on the field was Tarhji Hudson of Cooper Throwers in the boys under-17 discus with a toss of 44.83m ( ), going over the standard of 41.50m ( ).

On the track, Club Monica's Megan Moss returned to competition after she nursed an injury that kept her out of action for the past month. She stormed to victory in the under-17 girls' 400m in an impressive time of 55.96 that was well under the standard of 57.00.

Also on the track, Anthaya Charlton of the host Star Trackers went under the standard of the under-17 girls 100m for the third time, running 11.97 for her victory, while her club and St Augustine's College team-mate Adrian Curry sped to a 10.36 finish in the under-20 boys' 100m. The standard is 10.60.

"The heats were very good, but my start was off in the final and so I had to make it up coming to the wire," Curry said. "But I feel that by the time I get to the trials, I will be ready to run even faster than I did."

And Romeo McKenzie of the Falcons Athletics led the way for the Grand Bahama contingent in breezing through the line in the under-17 boys' 100m in 10.85. The qualifying standard for the event is 10.92.

"It was good. I felt I went out there and I performed like coach told me," said McKenzie, who is trained by Nikkita Johnson, a 15-year-old 10th grader at Tabernacle Baptist Academy. "I want to get ready for Carifta and hopefully bring home the gold."