Vincentian athletes prep for Carifta experience

Two members of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Junior Carifta team recently turned in good performances, ahead of this weekend’s games, set for the Grenada National Stadium.

Javon Rawlins, who was part of the St Vincent Grammar School’s team to the Falcon Games in Tobago, copped both the High Jump and Triple Jump in the male Under-18 category. He leapt to 1.85m in the High Jump and 13.41m in the Triple Jump.{{more}}

Rawlins also placed third in the 100m and anchored his team to second position in the 4 x 100 m and third place in the 4 x 400m.

Rawlins is listed to compete in the jumps events in the 45th edition of the Carifta Games.

Meanwhile, St Kitts based Shaffiqua Maloney, also over the weekend, champed the Under-18 female division and the Victrix Ludorum title at the St Kitts inter-schools’ track and field championships at the Kim Collins Stadium.

Among Maloney’s achievements was her 56.62 seconds clocking in the 400m, which reports say erased the former record of 56.97 seconds, which she established last year.

A student of the Verchild High School, Maloney is also said to have won the 800m, 1,500m and Javelin.

Rawlins and Maloney were set to team up with the other Vincentians who arrived in Grenada last Friday, one week ahead of the Carifta Games.

Reports say that the week would form the final part of their preparations and acclimatization, under the eyes of the management team of Godfrey Harry, Chester Morgan and Chantel Legair.

Making up the other Under-18 representatives are female athletes Zita Vincent, Chaunte Williams, Tamara Woodley, Darria Mathias, Lafesha France, Shantel Williams, Krystal Foster, Aaliyah Welcome and Bobriel Ballantyne, with Brad Slater, Newman Peters and Cody Compton, the other males.

A release from Team Athletics SVG stated that Zamesha Myle, who was originally selected, had to be withdrawn from the squad because of injury.

Two Under-20 athletes in Mc Kish Compton and Ryan John complete the list of Vincentian athletes.

Maloney and Compton are the only two athletes with Carifta experience, having participated in 2015 and 2014, respectively.

President of Team Athletics SVG Keith Joseph, speaking at the organization’s awards and recognition ceremony recently, noted that a definitive emphasis was being placed on the Under-18 athletes.

Last year, St Vincent and the Grenadines gained a silver medal in the male Under-20 200 m, which was achieved by Reuberth Boyde.(RT)