James omitted from Grenada’s CARIFTA team

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 13, 2011 – Double gold medallist Kirani James has been omitted from a 17-member Grenada team for the XL Junior CARIFTA Games to be staged in Montego Bay, Jamaica next weekend.

The Grenada Athletics Association on Wednesday announced the team which includes three athletes including one medallist from last year’s Games in the Cayman Islands.

Under-20 girls’ sprinters Lucy Fortune and Nickhaila John and heptathlon bronze medallist Lyndon Toussaint have been included in the national team.

However, James, a double Carifta medallist in the Cayman Islands, was not included in the team for the April 23-25 track and field championships.

The GAA didn’t give reasons for his omission but a source told this writer that the technical staff of the association, upon consultation with his college coach, had advised for James to skip the Games.

“They are convinced that it was the right decision based on the circumstances,” the source said.

James copped both the 200m and 400m at last year’s edition, winning in 20.76 seconds and 45.02 seconds respectively. The latter was a championship record.

Fortune, John and Toussaint will be joined by distance runners Kendra Richards and Nerena Aberdeen in the Under-17 girls’ category and Deron Hazzard, Robin Thomas, Kimol Williams, Maxwell Ramsey, Brian Thomas and Stephen Frank in the Under-17 boys’ category.

The rest of the team includes Andell Joseph, Sergio Wilson, Kellon Alexis, Genard Paul, Che Mason and Emron Gibbs.

The officials traveling with the team are Wayne McSween and Damian Castle as coaches and Denise Williams, manager.

FEMALE:

UNDER 17

NAME  CLUB/SCHOOL  EVENT

Kendra Richards - SJC St. And. - 1500 M, 800 M

Nerena Aberdeen, Track Blazers/S.D.C.S.S, 1500 M, 800 M, 3000 M

UNDER 20

Nickhaila John - A.C.E/ S.A.A.S.S - 200 M, 400 M

Lucy Fortune - Track Blazers/S.D.C.S.S - 100 M, 200 M

MALE:

UNDER 17

NAME  CLUB/SCHOOL  EVENT

Deron Hazzard - Track Blazers/S.D.C.S.S - 1500 M, 3000 M,  4 x 400 M

Robin Thomas - P.B.C - 100 M, 4 x 400 M

Kimol Williams - G.S.S - 200 M, 4 x 100 M, 4 x 400 M

Maxwell Ramsey - G.S.S - 400 M, 4 x 100 M, 4 x 400 M

Brian Thomas - G.B.S.S - 100 M, 200 M, 4 x 100 M

Stephen Frank - W.H.S.S - 400 M, 4 x 100 M, 4 x 400 M

UNDER 20

Andell Joseph - Hillsborough Sec. - Heptathlon, Javelin Throw

Sergio Wilson - Bishop’s College - Long Jump, Javelin, Discus, Shot Put

Kellon Alexis - W.H.S.S - Discus, Shot Put

Genard Paul - M.D.C - High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump

Che Mason - A.C.E/ S.A.A.S.S - 400 M, 800 M

Lyndon Toussaint - T.A.M.C.C - Heptathlon, Discus

Emron Gibbs - T.A.M.C.C - Javelin