Jamaica leave for CARIFTA Games tonight
Published:Thursday | April 9, 2009 | 6:05 PM
Jamaica’s 70-member squad for the 38th CARIFTA Games in St Lucia is scheduled to depart the country tonight at 10:15.
The Games will open tomorrow at the George Odlum Stadium with a new look and the high-powered Jamaican aggregation poised for another table-topping display.
Usually contested over three days, the world-class event is a four-day meet this year with no afternoon break as competition will now start at 11 o’clock daily.
Over 600 athletes and officials from 21 countries are expected in St Lucia.
Jamaica’s squad is again projected to grab the bulk of the sprint medals.
Their contingent will not include World Junior and World Youth Champion Dexter Lee, who suffered an injury last weekend. His replacement will be the outstanding Nickel Ashmeade, a 200-metre silver medallist at the World Juniors last year.
The 200-metre World Youth Champion Ramone McKenzie is also in the Jamaica squad.
One of the most intriguing battles at the meet will be the Boys’ Under-20 middle-distance clashes between the gifted Trinidadian Gavyn Nero, an eight-time CARIFTA champions, and the in-form Jamaican Kemoy Campbell.