By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

For those athletes and relay teams in the region yet to qualify for the World Championships in September in Tokyo, Japan, the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships will provide that final opportunity.

NACAC president Mike Sands said they are anticipating over 400 athletes from more than 30 countries to participate in the championship in Grand Bahama August 16-17.

“From a participatory aspect, the Bahamas Government has appointed a LOC (Local Organising Committee) headed by Romell Knowles, who is very actively preparing for the event,” Sands said.

“But from a technical and operational standpoint, we are very pleased that about 35 of our member associations have expressed an interest to participate. We have about 400 entries as of today.”

The registration deadline for athletes to register to compete is August 4 when NACAC will know exactly who is competing and in which events.

Based on the numbers, Sands said a determination will be made on the Games Village for the athletes. 

But he said there are several properties that have been identified in Freeport, which are all about a 10-15 minute ride to the Grand Bahama Sports Complex where the championships will take place.

The big concern for NACAC is the qualification process for the World Championships, scheduled for September 13-21.

Sands said the championships is the area championships for NACAC and, as such, athletes will be awarded points towards their international ranking.

“So you will see athletes coming to the championships to solidify their ranking positions,” Sands said. 

“Equally exciting is that several of our member countries have not yet qualified teams for the relays.

“So we are expecting to see some real exciting matchups in the relays. The entries for the World Championships closes on August 24. So there’s only two spots available worldwide so by August 24, the teams in the top 16 spots would qualify for the World Championships.”

There are a number of countries who have indicated their desires to field relay teams in the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metre relays as well as the mixed gender 4 x 400m relays.

In trying to stay impartial as a Bahamian, Sands said he hopes that all of their member associations, including The Bahamas, who have the ability to field the teams, will do so in a bid to qualify for the World Championships and to be called area champions.

The NACAC Championships comes on the heels of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Open Championships, scheduled for August 1-3 at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

The BAAA is expected to announce its team going to Grand Bahama for the NACAC Championships following the completion of the nationals.

Last year, NACAC hosted a successful New Life Championships at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex. 

It drew a large amount of athletes who were gearing up for the Olympic Games that was held in Paris, France.

Sands anticipates that the NACAC Championships will be even bigger and more successful with the World Championships on the horizon.