The 2021 Carifta Games will now be staged in August.

The regional junior track and field championships were originally scheduled for Easter weekend, in Bermuda, but were postponed because of the challenges of Covid-19. The meet was rescheduled to the first weekend in July, but has now been pushed back to August 13-15 because of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams.

The North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) had chosen July 2-4 for the rescheduled Games in anticipation of May/June external exams. CXC, however, has opted for June/July dates for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Both CSEC and CAPE will end on July 16.

The 2021 Carifta Games will conclude just two days before the start of the World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya. At a Zoom press conference, yesterday, NACAC president Mike Sands told regional media that the close proximity of dates was unavoidable.

“We went through the schedule, and we recognised the challenges of trying to find a place to put the event. Countries in the region are going to have to make a determination where their athletes will compete.

“There are no set qualifying standards for Carifta as established by NACAC,” Sands continued, “as opposed to the world event, which has set standards. The smaller countries in the region may not have many athletes making World U20 standards as opposed to the larger countries.”

Bermuda National Athletics Association (BNAA) president Donna Raynor said that with five months to go to Carifta 2021, it is difficult to determine at this stage what the Games would look like in terms of spectator attendance.

“Based on the current situation, if fans come to Bermuda and they’re vaccinated they would have a much better chance of being able to attend the Games.”