The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DANIELLE Williams, Masai Russell and Megan Tapper - a few of the top female high hurdlers in the world - are expected to be in town this weekend to participate in the highly anticipated Devynne Charlton Invitational at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

The Invitational will be held from 9am on Saturday under the banner of the Devynne Charlton Barrier Breakers Foundation and will serve as a qualifier for both the 2026 CARIFTA Games in Georgetown, Grenada, April 4-6 and the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, August 5-9.

Laura Charlton, Devynne's mother and one of the principals in the foundation that was founded in 2014, said they have around 800 athletes registered from the United States of America, Canada, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands, who are coming to New Providence to participate in the meet.

However, Williams, the reigning world 100m hurdles champion from Jamaica, Russell, the American 2024 Olympic 100m hurdles champion and Tapper, the Jamaican 2020 Olympic 100m hurdles champion, will not be competing.

Instead they will be supporting Charlton - the two-time World Indoor and world record holder - in the 60m hurdles, in her initiative to enhance the meet.They will be joined by Katelyn Hutchinson, a content creator, journalist and track and field analyst, who travels the world interviewing professional track and field athletes and reporting on the most exciting stories in the sport.Charlton's younger sister Anthaya Charlton, who is fast becoming a double threat in the women's 100 metres and the long jump, will be in attendance as well.

"It's expected to be an exciting meet and so we want kids to come out and support our athletes as they try to qualify for CARIFTA and the World Under-20 Championships," Laura Charlton said. "Everybody is excited to have this opportunity to compete in the meet."

As the foundation is designed to foster athletic and academic excellence by providing resources and support to young athletes in The Bahamas, Laura Charlton encourages the public to come out and support the meet.

"This is a dream of Devynne. It's not the type of meet she really wanted because she's still actively competing," Laura Charlton said. "But she just decided to take the general meet approach and, as she continues to grow her foundation, she will get to the level where she wants the meet to be."

So far, the foundation has assisted two Bahamian athletes on athletic scholarships and they have provided funding for those athletes who needed assistance in coming home to compete in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations' Nationals last year.

All of the visiting athletes from Grand Bahama and the Family Islands will be assisted in their expenses as they come to town to participate in the meet.

"She feels it's important for them to get the competition so that they can try and qualify for the upcoming international meets, including CARIFTA and the World Under-20 Championships," Laura Charlton said. 

"So this is a dream of hers and we in the foundation just want to make it possible for the athletes to get the opportunity to compete. So we are encouraging the public to come out and support the meet."

The entry fee is $20 for the VIP stand, $10 general admission for adults and $5 for children. Not only would they get to see the older competitors compete, but Laura Charlton said the young age group athletes from the under-7 division and up will also be participating.

Devynne Charlton's older sister Lauren, and her 4 1/2-year-old twin sisters Noelle and Celeste from Michigan, will also be making their debut in the meet. "The competition will be very keen," Laura Charlton summed up.