This Week in NACAC: Area Presidents focus on the World Plan

With her sights set on World Athletics Championships in Oregon, Tristan, an Olympian, set a new national mark for the Women’s Indoor 60m in the time of 7.27 seconds. The winning performance was an improvement on the six-year record of 7.29 seconds set by Ashley Marshall.

Evelyn’s performance was achieved at a competition in Hartwig-Gauder-Halle, Erfurt, Germany.

Guadeloupe – Caribbean Games 2022

Subsequent to the celebration of the 150-day countdown to the Caribbean Games 2022, scheduled for Guadeloupe, on 29 June and concluding on 3 July, there has been growing interest in the Inaugural Caribbean Games.

Already several member federations of NACAC which fall under the NOCs that are members of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) have reached out, indicating their interest in participating.

NACAC’s rankings will be used to determine the qualifiers for the track and field competition, which is expected to be the highlight of the Games, as is the case in the Summer Olympics and other multi-sport Games.

That Guadeloupe is hosting the Inaugural Caribbean Games is an indication of the country’s commitment to the Caribbean region in which it is located and with whom its people have a strong affinity.

Guadeloupe has, like Martinique, been host to the much-revered Carifta Games and has produced some of the world’s best track and field athletes.

Olympic Champion, Marie Jose Perec, hails from Guadelopue. At the centennial edition of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in 1996, Perec achieved the 400m and 200m double gold medal performances before the USA’s Michael Johnson did later in the athletics competition.

JAAA’s LOC presented an impressive 2^nd Carifta 2022 Info Session

Member federations of the Carifta Family were, on Monday 31 January 2022, treated to the second consecutive Information Session on the preparations for the region’s major junior track and field competition.

Indications from the presentation of the members of the Local Organising Committee are that preparations are well in hand and that participating delegations can expect a tremendously exciting three days of competition.

With the first draft of the Technical Manual in hand, members in attendance were able to raise their concerns and address queries to the LOC.

It is now confirmed that the Carifta Games Village will be the University of the West Indies Mona Campus while the World Athletics and NACAC Family will be located at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Already, with the Jamaica schools and other track and field competitions taking place under the government’s covid protocols, the sports-loving country is being constantly reminded of the pending Carifta Games which will form part of the 60^th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence. NACAC has already submitted several officials that would provide organisational, technical and medical and anti-doping oversight of the Carifta Games.

Carifta 2022 Patron Named

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the 49th Carifta Games, Michael Fennell, has announced the Patron of the event.

Richard Pandohie, Chief Executive Officer of the Seprod Group of Companies in Jamaica, has accepted the request to serve as the official Patron of the Games, scheduled for 16 – 18 April 2022. JAAA President, Garth Gayle, welcomed Pandohie’s acceptance of the offer and joined with Fennell in highlighting the fit between the Patron’s own contribution of the Jamaican econoy through his business ventures and the leadership he is being called upon to provide for the Carifta Games.

While both Fennell and Gayle were high in praise for the appointment of Pandohie, the latter simply declared that it was an honour for him to have been approached to perform such an important role in the Carifta Games. He noted that given the historic role played by sports in the crafting and sustainability of Brand Jamaica, being asked to serve as Patron of what is a major annual sporting spectacle before all of Jamaica, can only be seen as an opportunity to join in representing the country.

Pandohie committed to giving his best to ensure that the 49^th edition of the Carifta Games meets all expectations. This includes helping to promote the event across the Jamaican populace at home and in the Diaspora.

Martinique

Even as Covid 19 is still with us Martinique is intent on showing all of NACAC that it will not be deterred in respect of organizing athletics competitions.

The Martinique Track & Field Association (LMA) will host the Friendship Invitational, on 28 May 2022. The event will take place at the Louis Achille Stadium in Fort de France. This would feature athletes in the U17 and U20 categories only.

The competition features seven (7) delegations from Haiti and Dominican Republic (the visionaries who started this competition) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia, French Guiana and Guadeloupe.

The LMA will be responsible for accommodation, meals and internal transportation.

20 February 2022 is the deadline for the seven delegations to confirm their participation. We would like to remind you that this competition is organized for U17/U20 athletes.

Nicaragua

 The Nicaraguan Athletics Federation continues to engage its stakeholders in accordance with the Calendar of events the organization has approved for 2022.