The Cayman Islands Athletic Association will this Saturday stage the 2007 renewal of the CUC National Junior Championships/Carifta Trials at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex starting at 9:00am.
This year’s Championships mark the 21st year that the Caribbean Utilities Company, the main Corporate sponsors of the CIAA, have sponsored and supported this event, which has served as a launching pad for virtually all the Island’s leading Athletes during this era.
In marking the occasion CUC President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Richie Hew had this to say, ‘Our long relationship with the CIAA has produced regional and international champion athletes of whom we are extremely proud. The greater pleasure however, is knowing that for every champion produced there are hundreds of Caymanians who are better citizens today because they participated in the CIAA programme that built character in their developing years. For this we congratulate and thank the CIAA Executive, its coaching staff and numerous volunteers and we look forward to continuing our relationship for many years to come. ‘
This year’s Championships, for which there are 187 registered participants, marks a radical departure from previous years in that it will be staged on one day rather than the customary two days in previous years. The change was required to accommodate the participation of the full team from Cayman Brac.
The Championships will see competition in seven age group categories: Under 6; 6-8; 9-10; 11-12; 13-14; 15-16 and 17-19 competing in a wide cross section of Athletic events.
Of special interest will be the performance of the Carifta Age Group Athletes. In the Boys Under 20 Division Kemar Hyman will match strides with his brother Maxwell, Richard Ibeh, Junior Hines, Brendon Lyons Jr. and possibly US Collegian Tyrell Cuffy in the sprints. The Girls 800m and 1500m races in that Division should also be hotly contested as the Foster sisters, Dee-Ann and Kedean battle for places on this year’s Carifta team.
In the 15-16 Age Group much attention will be focused on the Boys 100m Final where the likes of Arron McLaughlin, Alejandro Ruiz, Andrew Perrin, Kyle Thompson, Jarrett Terry Levi Powell and Quincy Ebanks will duke it out for the right to be called National Champions and possible places on the Carifta Games team. For the girls the performances of Jahzenia Thomas, Anissa Owen, Avril Myers and reigning CAC Jrs. Champion Alexandra Terry in their respective disciplines should worth the attendance.
In the 13-14 Category the Girls will clearly take the spotlight. Chantelle Morrison leads a cast of gifted female athletes in this Class. Morrison should take the sprint double but should she falter the likes of Ashleigh Nalty, Gizelle Wright, Kristen Dixon and Sheyla Torres are waiting to pounce and produce the upset of the Championships.
In the 11-12 Age Group CUT representative, Melinda McLean, fresh from her jaw-dropping performance at this year’s Gibson relays in Jamaica, will have to stave off the challenge of Rashana Hydes and Cristen Jones in the Girls sprint finals, while National Representatives Jorel Bellafonte, Justin Nalty, Dimitri Chambers and Jon-Mikol Rankin with Jordan Bell-White should contest for the medals in a closely fought Boys sprint events.
Still basking in the glory of his performances at last year’s CUT Meet, Youth Athlete of the Year, Jouri Haylock will step up in class but still seek to dominate the Boys 9-10 category with his all round performances in the sprints and Long Jump. The main interest in this category however should be in the Girls Division. CUT relay teammates Miyah Seymour, Jada Wright and Pearl Morgan have each had victories over the others so far this Season. With the fourth member of the team, Daneliz Thomas yet to stand atop the victors podium the Girls sprint in this age-group category promises to be a humdinger as any of the four can win on her day.
The Boys 60m and 80m sprints should be the highlight of 6-8 Division where Karim Murray, who has won at Bodden Town and East End will renew his rivalry with CUT teammate Bryan Walters, with Christopher Tugman-Dixon waiting in the wings should either of them fail to live up to billing.
On the field Shane Evans should continue to dominate while much interest will be centred on the attempts of Perry Anglin in the 17-19 Boys High Jump, where he is hoping to clear the height necessary to earn Carifta Games consideration. In the Boys 15-16 Long Jump Travis Webb and Mitchell Forbes will not only have each other in their field of battle but probably more importantly both will have the Carifta qualifying standard of 6.30m firmly implanted in their athletic brain. With leading jumps of 6.20m and 6.13m this Season both have flirted with the qualifying mark but have failed to nail the distance. This will be their final opportunity to do so before the selection of the Carifta Team, which takes place immediately following the Championships.
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