Four athletes have hit the qualifying mark for the 52nd Carifta Games slated for the Kirani James Athletic Stadium in Grenada from March 30 to April 1.
Maliek Francis (javelin), Zonique Charles (javelin), Trya Fenton (200 and 400) and Geolyna Dowdye (100 and 200) all qualified for this year’s games after meeting the standards set by the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association’s (ABAA) during the body’s first development meet held at the YASCO Sports Complex over the weekend.
Francis, a 2023 Carifta Games silver medallist and NACAC Under-18 gold medallist, threw a distance of 57.70 meters at Sunday’s meet, well above the required 54 meters for the Under-17 division.
Francis, who attends the Antigua Grammar School (AGS), is a member of the Wings Sports Club.
Meanwhile, Charles of Edu Sports and Glanvilles Secondary School, threw beyond the 35 metres required to qualify in the Under-17 Girls division. Charles, at age 13, is the youngest thrower to qualify for the annual Carifta Games.
Fenton, who runs out of the Roots Athletics Club and St Anthony’s Secondary School, booked her ticket to Grenada by qualifying in not one, but two events.
Competing in the Under-15 Girls 400 meters, Fenton dismantled the competition, finishing in a time 56.98 seconds. The athlete then returned in the Under-15 Girls 200 meters to clock a time of 24.29 seconds, well under the 24.80 seconds qualifying standard.
Also, the more seasoned Dowdye registered 11.74 in the Under-20 Girls 100 meters to dip below the 11.75 qualification mark. She then returned to run 24.19 seconds in the 200 meters, once again, dipping below the 24.20 qualification mark.
Dowdye, a Princess Margaret School student, is a member of the Roots Athletics Club.
The second edition of the 2024 Development Meet Series will be held on January 21 starting at 2pm at the YASCO Sports Complex.