By Tenajh Sweeting

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE curtains were finally closing on the 51st CARIFTA Games in St George’s, Grenada, on Monday night, when controversy ensued in the final event of the track and field championships.

The regional meet had its fair share of complications along the way but none bigger than the blatant blunder committed by officials during the under-20 boys 4x400 metres relay event at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium.

The stage was seemingly set for the quartet of Zion Shepherd, Aiden Kelly, Javano Bridgewater and Berkley Munnings to jockey for a top three podium spot in the event’s finals as the team managed to qualify with the second fastest time of 3:12.51 in the prelims.

However, the CARIFTA meet and final track event was marred after officials fired the first shot to start the relay but the gun was then fired again indicating that the race should stop. The Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago along with Antigua and Barbuda stopped running after leaving the blocks and hearing the second shot but Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana and St Vincent and Grenadines continued the race. Despite the crowd’s loud pleas to stop the race, officials allowed the full 4x400m relay to continue even after the first exchange.

Following the completion of the relay event, officials deliberated for a few moments and opted to allow The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad & Tobago to run again. The relay team ran 3:11.13 which would have earned them a bronze medal in the event but ultimately they were disqualified due to a line infringement.

Drumeco Archer, president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA), weighed in on the bizarre ending of the 51st CARIFTA Games.

“It was quite a bizarre ending and quite a colorful ending for Team Bahamas. This has been quite an experience for us. We have gone through highs and lows and this certainly wasn’t the outcome I expected. We thought that we would’ve done a lot better on the track but I can certainly tell you that the field really saved the day for Team Bahamas,” Archer said.

The BAAAs president also addressed the speculations regarding whether sprinters Carlos Brown Jr and Jeremiah Adderley were unable to compete in the 200m heats on Sunday morning due to injury or another reason.

“On the issue of the men’s 200m, it was very disappointing. We don’t like when athletes decide that they cannot run. When you decide that you do not want to run the result is that you are removed from competition.

“There was no injury. I will not mislead you by saying that there was an injury. When you decide that you are not gonna show up for competition the federation would have taken a clear position because you are here representing The Bahamas, that is one issue. The rule is that once you do not show for an event you are removed from the entire competition so either way those guys would not have run. We are here to represent the country, we spend a lot of money and I couldn’t imagine why they could not run a 200m when they have trained for it every year and all day long,” the BAAAs president said.

Team Bahamas’ head coach Caudell McNab echoed the sentiments of Archer and gave some insight on the debacle from a coach’s perspective.

“They were told that they were on the list. They initially told me that they didn’t feel like running it and I told them they entered so the most they can do is get out there and deliver.

“Carlos kept saying he didn’t feel like running it. If you are here for an event and you are not showing medical reasons for not competing I think you should compete. It was also too late to scratch any of them and I expected them to at least show up to the start. They did not show up and the rule is if you do not show up for an event especially on the same day you cannot participate in the next event,” coach McNab said.

Both athletes were unable to compete for the under-20 boys 4x100m relay team.

Team Bahamas managed to pick up a total of 33 medals in Grenada despite some of the top athletes being shut down due to injury.

Eagan Neely wrapped up his second CARIFTA experience with two bronze medals earned in the under-17 boys 400m finals and 4x100m finals. Unfortunately, Neely, who battled nagging injuries all season, dove to get The Bahamas a bronze medal in the relays which resulted in him suffering an apparent hip injury.

Ishmael Rolle had high expectations for himself coming into the Easter weekend but the CARIFTA Games ended early for him when he suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the under-17 boys 100m heats on day one.

Archer talked about the role the injury bug played with regards to Team Bahamas at the 2024 CARIFTA Games.

“Some of our athletes got dinged up throughout the course of competition. Ishmael Rolle early on day one had a hamstring strain so he was pulled out of the competition. We expected to win the under-17 girls 4x400m but of course Keyezra Thomas had hamstring issues as well then we go back to Nya Wright who also had issues with her hamstring,” he explained.

The Bahamas came away with nine gold medals, 13 silver medals and 11 bronze medals to cap off the meet with 33 medals.