The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemdedia.net

WITH the fifth edition of the CARIFTA Triathlon already set for the Bahamas in 2023, the Bahamas Triathlon Association is hoping that their 22-member team will make a splash at the fourth edition of the games next month.

The team, which was announced today by the BTA, will be leaving on Wednesday, September 21 and will compete from September 24-25 in Bermuda and, according to head coach Cameron Roach, they are looking at finishing in the top three.

“The team is doing very well. We started training a few weeks ago and we’ve seen a lot of improvement, especially the younger swimmers,” Roach said. “Everybody is stepping up and getting ready to compete.

“We have a number of competitors, who were involved in swimming, but now that swimming is over, we are getting ready to perform in cycling and running. So as long as they can continue to improve, we should be able to do very well.”

Roach noted that after competing in the first championship with two members, the association has been able to field a full team, which should increase the Bahamas’ chances of moving up from sixth place last year to taking one of the top three spots.

“This team is much better than the team we had last year,” Roach said. “Our goal is to finish in the top three. We have a lot of talent on the team, so we are confident that we will do very well in both the individual competition and the team competition.

“As the host country, Bermuda always brings a big team and boasting of the number one female triathlete in the world, the sport has really taken off on the island. Guadeloupe also come with a big number as well as Trinidad & Tobago. So we hope to be right in the mix with these countries for the top three spots.”

The team selected are the following: 11-12 division, competing

WITH the fifth edition of the CARIFTA Triathlon already set for the Bahamas in 2023, the Bahamas Triathlon Association is hoping that their 22-member team will make a splash at the fourth edition of the games next month.

The team, which was announced today by the BTA, will be leaving on Wednesday, September 21 and will compete from September 24-25 in Bermuda and, according to head coach Cameron Roach, they are looking at finishing in the top three.

“The team is doing very well. We started training a few weeks ago and we’ve seen a lot of improvement, especially the younger swimmers,” Roach said. “Everybody is stepping up and getting ready to compete.

“We have a number of competitors, who were involved in swimming, but now that swimming is over, we are getting ready to perform in cycling and running. So as long as they can continue to improve, we should be able to do very well.”

Roach noted that after competing in the first championship with two members, the association has been able to field a full team, which should increase the Bahamas’ chances of moving up from sixth place last year to taking one of the top three spots.

“This team is much better than the team we had last year,” Roach said. “Our goal is to finish in the top three. We have a lot of talent on the team, so we are confident that we will do very well in both the individual competition and the team competition.

“As the host country, Bermuda always brings a big team and boasting of the number one female triathlete in the world, the sport has really taken off on the island. Guadeloupe also come with a big number as well as Trinidad & Tobago. So we hope to be right in the mix with these countries for the top three spots.”

The team selected are the following: 11-12 division, competing in 200m swim, 71/2kilometre bike ride and 11/2km run – Lauchian Menzies, Sibby Potter, Jadian Smith, Callum Pritchard, Kristan Johnson, Taylor Knowles and Paityn Burrows.

13-15 division, competing in the 375m swim, 10KM bike and 2 ½ Km run – Ayden Bain, Gervasini Eneas, Malcolm Menzies, Launy Duncombe, Eric Pritchard, Anjaleah Knowles, Issa Bournas and Lenin Hamilton.

16-19 division, competing in a 750m swim, 20Km bike and 5km run – Jason Cates, Barron Musgrove, Sienna Culmer-Mackey and Kami Roach.

Under-21, competing in a 750m swim, 20Km bike and 5km run - Ralph Wood.

While there are 14 members of the team in New Providence, Bain and Duncombe are in Grand Bahama. Hamilton, a native of Grand Bahama, will be coming in from the Turks and Caicos Islands to represent the country. The other competitors are in the United States.

Kami Roach, who has swum in all three previous CARIFTA triathlons, said she’s looking forward to leading the team this year. The 16-year-old 11th grader at Windsor Academy said it’s going to be a wonderful experience for Team Bahamas.

“I just had a (left) foot surgery about two and-a-half months ago, so I’m just trying to get back into it,” said Roach, who has been competing in the sport since she was eight years old.

“This probably won’t be my best race, but I’m going to try my hardest. “There’s not that many participants in my age group, so I just hope that I can finish in the middle of the field.

“If I can do that coming off the surgery, I would be very satisfied with my performance.”

To her teammates, Roach said she knows they will be nervous, but she would encourage them to “just don’t be nervous. Go out there and have fun.”

For Barron Musgrove Jr, this is his first time competing on an international team.

But he said with the support of his father and coach Barron “Turbo” Musgrove and swimming coach Shirley Mireault, he’s confident that he will do well.

“My expectations is to do well and keep up with everybody,” said the 17-year-old 11th grader at Temple Christian Academy. “This is my first time, so I’m not going to try and outdo everybody. I just want to be able to do my best.”

Looking at the team, Musgrove said it’s a good one and they have been pushing him with his swimming and running, his two weakest areas in the sport. But he feels that with the work he has put in, he will be prepared for the challenge ahead of him.

And Kristan Johnson, an 11-year-old 7th grader at Genesis Academy, said the team is a pretty good one and should represent the Bahamas very well.

“I feel like I’m in a good place, but I can still work on it,” Johnson said. “My running is definitely my weak area, but if I can get a good time, I would feel very good about it.”

Cameron Roach will be assisted by coach Sylvia Bateman. The team’s manager is Lori Roach, the doctor is Dr Kathryn DeSouza and the chaperones are Grant Menzies and Orazio Defilippis.

Roach said they are appealing to the public to assist in covering the expenses for the team to travel to Bermuda, taking into consideration the cost for their airlines and transporting their equipment to compete in the various segments of the event.

“We are really looking forward to hosting the CARIFTA Triathlon next year,” Roach said. “So this is a good opportunity for our sponsors to come on board and get a feel of what is expected for next year. We’re a relatively new organisation so we need all of the financial support that we can get.”

The BTA wishes to thank Atlantis, Westside Construction and Albany for coming on board as sponsors for the team heading to Bermuda for next month’s CARIFTA triathlon.