National

76-Member CARIFTA Track and Field Team Named

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Following this past weekend’s CARIFTA trials, the BAAA’s finalized the team headed to the 2024 CARIFTA Track and Field Championships.

Published

8 months ago

March 18, 2024

10th Year Seniors

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Following this past weekend’s CARIFTA trials, the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association (BAAA) finalized the team headed to the 2024 CARIFTA Track and Field Championships.

The Bahamas will field a team of 76 athletes, to participate in the 51st edition of the games, March 30 to April 1 at the Kirani James Stadium in st. George’s, Grenada.

The team includes several CARIFTA veterans and returning medalists from 2023.

Headlining the group of 22 U-20 men will be last year’s100m silver medalist, Carlos Brown, and a pair of gold medalists in the field – pole vaulter Brenden Vanderpool and javelin thrower Kaden Cartwright.

The U-20 women’s group of 20 athletes will be led by Tennessee Volunteers sprinter Javonya Valcourt and triple jumper Laneisha Lubin who took silver last year.

The team of U-17 boys includes 2023’s 100m silver medalist Ishmael Rolle, and high jump bronze medalist Joshua Wlliams.

In the U-17 girls, 400-meter hurdles silver medalist Darvanique Dean, the top two finishers in the javelin Kamera Strachan and Dior-Rae Scott, along with shot put bronze medalist – Terell McCoy headline the group of 15.

The team will be coached by Caudell McNabb assisted by James Rolle, Laquel Harrris, Alexis Roberts, Branson Rolle and Kenny Moxey Sr.

Sophia Higgs is the team manager, assisted by Oshae Smith.

In 2023, The Bahamas finished second as hosts with 10 gold and a total 46 of medals overall.

For a full listing of team members, visit the Our News Facebook page.

NCAA Basketball Tournament

Selection Sunday revealed the brackets of the NCAA men’s and women’s NCAA tournament. We’ll tell you how to follow the Bahamians headed to the big dance.

Headlining the opening round will be a matchup between Bahamian players in the East Region.

Fredrick King and the number 3 Creighton Bluejays will face Sammy Hunter and the number 14 Akron Zips Thursday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Zips earned an automatic bid by winning the MAC Confernce tournament Saturday night.

AJ Storr and Wisconsin Badgers are the number 5 seed in the west region and will face number 12 James Madison Thursday in Brooklyn, New York.

The Badgers finished as runners-up in the BIG 10 tournament after a loss to Illinois Sunday afternoon.

In the women’s bracket, Coach Yo, Rhema Collins and the Ole Miss Rebels were named the number 7 seed in region 1. They will face number 10 seed Marquette on Saturday.

The Houston Cougars men’s team has a pair of Bahamians on the support staff – Kellen Hutchinson in internal operations and assistant strength coach – Bryan Clarke.

The Cougars are the top seed in the south region and will face number 16 Longwood in Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday.

Track and Field

If the outdoor season opener for reigning 400m Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner was any indication, the injury concerns from 2023 may be well behind him.

Gardiner clocked 31.99 seconds to win the 300 meters at the Hurricane Invitational in Miami, Florida over the weekend.

The win comes a month after he posted a world-leading time of 31.78 seconds at the Carolina Indoor Invitational, the second-fastest indoor time of all time.

Gardiner, the 2019 world championships 400m gold medalist, was having an undefeated 2023 season but suffered an injury in the semifinals at the world championships in Hungary.