Five of Anguilla’s six participants in the 2014 CARIFTA Games in Martinique left the island on Thursday morning, for the French Territory, accompanied by two officials – Mrs Heather Richardson, Manager/Coach and Mr Winston Duncan, Coach. They will be joined in Martinique by Zharnel Hughes – the sixth member of the team – who is temporarily based in Jamaica where he is undergoing athletic training.
The CARIFTA Games are scheduled to take place from Saturday, April 19, to Monday, April 21. The full team from Anguilla (three female and three male athletes) comprises Artesha Richardson (400m); Rechelle Meade (high and long jumps); Jonicia Richardson (800m); Mauriel Carty (200m); Aiden Hazzard (400m and 800m); and Zharnel Hughes (100m and 200m).
President of the Anguilla Amateur Athletic Association, Ms Lorna Rogers, speaking at a press briefing on Monday, April 14, said the purpose of the briefing was to let the public know who the athletes, and those travelling with them, were. The parent of the athletes and members of the Athletic Association were also present.
Ms Rogers said this year there were more Anguillian athletes for the regional competition compared with last year. She was grateful to the coaches for ensuring that they were well trained to the expected qualified standard, and to the parents for their support.
“It is a regional competition and it happens to be the year for the Olympic trials as well as for the Youth Olympics later on – and the CARIFTA Games have been designated the trials for the Caribbean,” Mrs Rogers explained. “All the islands in the region will be coming with their A-teams, so we expect our Anguillian athletes to compete to the best of their ability.” The athletes at the press briefing, some of whom were at the CARIFTA Games before, joined her in promising to perform well and in expressing their excitement.
Funds for the participation of the team in the CARIFTA Games were provided by the Sports Department, the Anguilla Commonwealth Games Association and the Anguilla Amateur Athletic Federation – to which Ms Rogers expressed thanks.
