The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Team manager Courtney Wallace said the Bahamas' 80-member team is ready for the staging of the 2018 CARIFTA Games at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium this Easter holiday weekend.

The team went through a light workout session yesterday and is getting ready to enter the Games Village at the Melia Hotel today when the visiting teams start to arrive for the games that will open on Friday night.

"One of the main things that we are trying to do is to get them mentally and physically prepared, anything that we can do to ensure that they are ready for the competition," Wallace said.

"We are also trying to keep them relaxed and to make sure that they are healthy. This is a good team and they have put in the work and I'm out here every day watching them, so I think we will be very proud of their performances."

Most of the countries are expected to arrive in town today and will be staying at the Melia Hotel.

Head coach Bernard Rolle said the team is looking good and he's expecting some spectacular performances.

"I'm satisfied with the way we look and I expect that we will do some spectacular things this weekend," Rolle said. "We could look forward to our under-17 boys and girls doing very well and those relays. We will defend our house.

"Jamaica, nor the other countries, are going to come here and sweep us. We are trying to win every one of the relays."

As for any predictions on the team, Rolle declined to make any, other than to say that he expects for the team to do better than the Bahamas has ever done before, including finishing third last year in Curacao behind powerhouse Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.

One of those athletes who is looking forward to competing at home is sprinter Devine Parker, who will lead the under-20 girls' division.

"My preparation has been going good. I'm staying focused and training to the best of my ability to go into the games determined and ready to compete in the front of my home crowd," said Parker, who will run the 100, 200 and on the 4 x 100 metre relay team.

It's been a relatively easy season for Parker, who didn't compete that much due to an injury. But she said she's where she wants to be physically and mentally she's trying to ensure that she can trust God to take her where she needs to go.

"Physically I feel better than last year. I feel more in shape than last year, so my only hope is that I can go into CARIFTA determined to have fun and do the best of my ability," she stated.

As for the team, Parker said they are gelling and so it's just a matter of them coming together and performing as a team to get the job done to represent the country the best that they can at home.

Tristan Hanna, one of the competitors to watch in the under-20 boys' division, said he's looking forward to the competition coming in from Jamaica and the other countries.

"My preparation has been tough. You can't just come out here four days of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, you have to come out seven days of the week to make sure that you are ready," he said. "I'm doing the pole vault and triple jump, so I'm looking forward to winning. I want the double gold."

Hanna said this is a well-rounded team and so the public can expect to see all areas carrying their weight.

For Raymond Oriakhi, he will have his hands full in the under-17 division, but he's up to the task ahead of him.

"I think I'm well prepared for the CARIFTA Games," he said. "I'm looking to medal in all of my events, the 110 and 400m hurdles, 400m and the 4 x 4. My training has been going very well, so I expect to do very well."

And Oriakhi said there's nothing better than competing at home.

"With the games being here at home, I think our chances are even better for us to perform. We have a very good team and so the public should see some good performances from us."

Jaida Knowles, a big part of the strong under-17 girls' division, said her training has been phenomenal, so look for some great things from her.

"I've been training to the best of my ability to be ready for the competition," Knowles said.

"You have to be ready, not just physically, but mentally, because track is a mental thing.

"You have to put in your mind that track is a mental sport and you can't be afraid of anyone. You need to be mentally strong to go out there and compete against whoever comes to race against you."

What Knowles likes is the fact that the games are home this year.

"We will have our family and friends and the junkanoo music so we have to be ready," she said.

"Jamaica is coming with an attitude, so we have to be able to block them out and focus on our races."

Knowles will be running both the 100 and 200 as well as the 4 x 100m relay and her aim is to medal, if not win all of her events.

As for the team, Knowles said they are gelling together and so hopefully they will remain focused as they prepare for the competition this weekend.

The games begin with the opening ceremonies at 6pm on Friday.

The first session of competition starts at 9am on Saturday.

The games will wrap up on Monday night.