Lack of flights, visa troubles hamstrung part of Guyana’s CARIFTA Team

By Akeem Greene in The Bahamas

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Guyana-based athletes on the CARIFTA Track and Field team are in jeopardy of arriving late to The Bahamas and potentially, missing the preliminary rounds at the 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games, which run from April 8-10.

Missing heats on Saturday would rule those athletes out of a spot in the final, and late arrival on Friday, could affect performances on Saturday.

News Room Sport, in Nassau in the build-up to the premier junior Track and Field event in the Caribbean, was informed that a combination of factors from visa issues (due to late applications) and lack of timely flights out of Guyana derailed the team’s plan of early arrival.

Two athletes – Trevon Hammer and Dejaun Grant – who are based in Jamaica are in Nassau while Anisha Gibbons and Wesley Noble Jr,  both based in the United States of America, are expected to arrive Thursday evening.

However, those athletes are not at the athletes’ village since none of the designated officials from the  Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) have arrived in The Bahamas due to issues with travel.

The athletes are in the care of an AAG Executive member, who is not part of Guyana’s current delegation but has served as manager of the team in the past.

A highly-placed source within the AAG explained they are still exploring all options of getting chartered flights out of Guyana to Antigua or potentially Cuba for the athletes to find connecting flights to Nassau.

It is understood, two locally-based athletes, who have US Visas, are expected the join the contingent by Friday.

AAG President, Aubrey Hutson told News Room Sport on Thursday evening, “We are doing everything legally possible to get the athletes out to The Bahamas.”

Hutson said he is working with the chairman of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) along with Bahamian authorities to find a solution.

Publicly, the AAG has received support from the Guyana Olympic Association and Fitness Express to help offset expenses for this trip.

The CARIFTA Games, first held in Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1972, has over the years become a launch pad to Track and Field stardom and scholarship opportunities for Caribbean athletes.

Last year in  Kingston, Jamaica, Guyana won seven medals and  Attoya Harvey led the charge with three of her own –  gold (U-17 1500m), silver (U-20 3000m), and bronze (U-17 800m).

Gibbons, currently on a scholarship at the New Mexico University, pursuing studies in business, will be eying a third successive gold in her javelin event after medals in 2019 and 2022

Silver medalists in 2022,  Narissa McPherson and Javon Roberts, are back along with Trevon Hammer.

Under-17 Girls: Athaleyah Hinckson (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Tianna Springer (200m, 400m, 4x100m), Tamara Harvey (Long Jump, 4x100m), Adessa Albert (100m, 4x100m)

Under-17 Boys: Malachi Austin (200m, 400m), Javon Roberts (800m, 1500m), Ezekiel Saul (Triple Jump, High Jump), Deuel Europe (Long Jump), Immanuel Adams (High Jump), Dejaun Grant (400m)

Under-20 Girls: Narissa McPherson (400m, 800m), Attoya Harvey (800m, 1500m, 3000m), Anisha Gibbons (Javelin)

Under-20 Boys: Ezekiel Newton (100m, 200m), Wesley Nobel Jr. (400m), Seon Booker (800m, 1500m), Omar James (200m, 400m), Odida Parkinson (5000m), Trevon Hammer (Long Jump, Triple Jump)

Team Officials: Mark Scott (Coach), Kesia Burnett (Coach), Linden Phillips (Coach), Keith Campbell (Manager), Nolex Holder (Physiotherapist)