By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

WITH the success so far achieved by the judo and swimming teams at the Junior Pan American Games, head coach Daron Lightbourne said the fourmember track team is eager to go to Asuncion, Paraguay, and make their presence felt.

Lightbourne will be leaving town today to Paraguay with Olympic quarter-miler Zion Miller, triple jumper Antone Smith, javelin thrower Taysha Stubbs and discus/shot putter Annae Mackey as they get set for the start of their competition on Monday.

“It’s a fairly young team, which is under-23,” Lightbourne said. “They are some of the top athletes in the country, but they are coming off a long season.

“They are also preparing to go to college when the games are finished, so I know they are going to go there and give it their all in their last international meet for the year. So I’m excited for them and will be giving them all of the support that they need.”

Mackey, the 18-year-old team captain of the CARIFTA team in Trinidad & Tobago where she won a pair of medals, will be competing in the women’s discus where she has a lifetime best of 176-feet, 6-inches or 53.87 metres and the shot put with 17.14 metres. 

She will be heading to the University of Louisville when she’s done.

Miller, the 18-year-old member of last year’s Olympic team for the mixed 4 x 400m relay, is entered in the men’s 400m with his best of 46.51. He will go to South Plains College.

Smith, a newcomer on the international scene at the age of 19, is competing in the men’s triple jump with a best of 52-1 3/4 (15.89m). He is off to the University of Arizona.

Stubbs, the 17-year-old CARIFTA record holder, is competing in her specialty in the javelin with her best heave of 167-1 (50.94m). 

She will then head off to the University of Nebraska.

With The Bahamas already on the chart with three medals, two from Olympic swimmer Lamar Taylor in the men’s 50m freestyle with a silver and a bronze in the 100m freestyle and Xavion Johnson with a bronze in judo, Lightbourne said the track team hopes to add to the final tally. “I think they’re going to go out there and compete for The Bahamas and be able to bring back a medal,” Lightbourne. 

“They’re veterans in their own rights and so they’re going there with the mindset to represent The Bahamas to the best of their abilities.”

Lightbourne said it’s the hope that The Bahamas will end up with some qualifiers for the Pan American Games that will be staged in Lima, Peru, in 2027.

The track team will be the last of the Bahamian contingent to compete  in Asuncion. 

Judo, cycling and swimming competed during the first week of competition. Sailing will be on tap this weekend.