Junior “Sportswoman of the Year” Shaniqua Bascombe, fellow sprinter Devin Augustine and multi-sport athlete Safiaya John are heading back to the Carifta Games to defend their respective title amidst the possibility of the event being postponed or cancelled due to the spread of the Covid 19 (Coronavirus) around the world.

As of Thursday, Antigua and Barbuda was reported to have pulled out of the premier track and field youth meet which is set to take place in Bermuda from April 10-13.

If it does come off, Bascombe of the Cougars track and field club, who sprinted to gold in the girls Under-17 200 metres last year in the Cayman Islands, will go for glory in the senior age-group, U-20, just as Augustine, who is the reigning boys U-17 100m champion.

The Point Fortin New Jets (PFNJ) athlete and Bascombe will chase the sprint double as both will race in the 200m as well as form part of the respective boys’ and girls’ 4x100m relay teams. Bascombe just missed out on completing the feat, placing second in the 200m final.

John will aim to put together another stellar performance as she did a year ago, hoping to repeat as champion of the Girls’ Open heptathlon. Competing alongside the Kaizen Panthers (Tobago) athlete will be last year’s silver medallist Antonia Sealy of another Tobago-based club, Fulfilling Athletics Potential. Sealy also won silver in the girls U-20 javelin.

The talented trio will have targets on their backs as they look to lead a competitive team that include several medallists from the last edition, named by the National Association of Athletics Administrations of T&T on Thursday.

They are silver medallists Kelsey Daniel of Kaizen in the boys U-20 triple jump and Cougars’ Reneisha Andrews and Leah Bernard (Simplex), who both were part of the girls’ U-20 4x100m relay unit and bagging bronze were Daniel (boys’ U-20 long jump), Mercury’s Jayden Scott (boys’ U-17 shot put and discus), Memphis Pioneers’ Rae Anne Serville (girls’ U-20 400m), PFNJ’s Anthony Diaz (boys’ U-17 4x100m relay) and Malika Coutain (girls’ U-17 4x400m).

However, this year Daniel, Bertrand, Scott, Diaz and Coutain moves up to the senior category as they as well as the 45 athletes will seek to improve T&T’s 24-medal haul last year.

Team

U-20

Boys: Devin Augustine (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Anthony Diaz (octathlon), Genesis Joseph (800m, 1,500m), Christopher Crawford (discus, shot put), Dominic Cole (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Justin Guy (110m hurdles, 4x100m), Jayden Scott (discus, shot put), Joel Andrews (octathlon), Troy Llanos (1,500m), Kelsey Daniel (long jump, triple jump), Wesley Rampersad (5,000m), Omari Lewis (4x100m), Jeremy Charles (4x100m), Chazz Alexander (4x100m).

Girls: Shaniqua Bascombe (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Safiya John ( heptathlon, long jump), Antonia Sealey (javelin, heptathlon), Camile Lewis (800m, 4x400m), Elizabeth Galera (discus,shot put), Jizzel Matas (3,000m), Naomi Campbell (200m, 4x100m), Rae-Anne Serville (400m, 4×400), Taehja Badal (100m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Reese Webster (4x100m), Leah Bertrand (4x100m), Malika Coutain (4x400m), Shernica Sergeant (4x400m)

U-17

Boys: Aaron Antoine (high jump, long jump), Jaidi James (high jump), Chavez Meloney (javelin), Dorian Charles (javelin), Jeron James (discus, shot put), Tyrese Murray (discus), Keone John (200m, 4x100m, long jump), Aaron Antoine (long jump), Khadeem John (3,000m), Naeem Nelson (100m, 4x100m), Stefan Camejo (800m), Michael Jack (4x100m), Jorvan Westfield (4x100m).

Girls: Ashanti Marcelle (shot put), Christie Marie Maharaj (800m, 4x400m), Gianna Paul (high jump, 4x100m, 4x400m), Janae De Gannes (long jump, 4x100m), Janika Jordan (100m, 4x100m), Karessa Kirton (100m hurdles, 4x100m, 4x400m), Lalenii Grant (discus), Natasha Fox (400m, 4x400m), Reneisha Andrews (100m, 4x100m), Xea Bruce (400m hurdles, 4x400m).

Officials

Coaching team: manager), Bevon Lord (assistant manager), Nadine Hamid (head coach), Kelvin Nancoo (sprints), Antonia Burton (sprints), Eric McCree (sprints), Reynold Porter-Lee (sprints), Richard Jones (middle and long distance), Kerron Brown (throws), Wellington WIlson (jumps), Michelle Pennie (jumps), Arlon Morrison (combined)

Medical team: Dr Anyl Gopeesingh (Team Doctor), Dexter Thom (massage therapist), Clint McKenzie (massage therapist), Kurlyn Smith (massage therapist), Anothy Walcott (massage therapist).