A total of 25 youth and junior triathletes will be competing at the 3rd CARIFTA Triathlon, Aquathlon and Mixed Relay Championships scheduled to take place on August 17 and 18 at the Jewel Resort, Runaway Bay in Jamaica. Barbados will be represented in three age group categories 11-12, 13-15 and 16-18 in the triathlon, aquathlon and aquathlon relay.
The first day of competition will commence with the triathlon in the 11-12 (200m swim, 5km ride, 1.25km run) and 13-15 (350m swim, 10km ride, 2.5km run) age group categories followed by the aquathlon (1000m swim, 5k run) in the 16-19 age group. Day two will see the much anticipated 16-19 triathlon (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) followed by the aquathlon in the 13-15 (500m swim, 2.5km run) and 11-12 (250m swim, 1.25km run).
The second day will also have the team mixed relay event where teams of four competitors from each country will be formed with two females and two males, each athlete performs a mini triathlon in succession.
Left to right: front row – Oein Josiah (coach), Amelie Baker, Heidi Baker, Matthieu Clarke, Cain Banfield, Asher Lashley, Luke McIntyre, Daniel Lashley, Daria Klufas, back row – Zahra Gaskin, Ashley Weekes, Zari Hinds, Leah Tully-Cornic, Fynn Armstrong, Isis Gaskin, Chara Hinds.
In the 11-12 age group Team Barbados will be strongly represented by Cain Banfield, Luke McIntyre, Asher Lashley, Mathieu Clarke, Daniel Lashley and Heidi Baker, the lone female for the age group to compete in both the triathlon and aquathlon.
In the 13-15 age group category, Lucas Austin, Fynn Armstrong and first timers Kah’Ryan Adams and Adam Marshall will make up the male competitors. The 13-15 females will include, Kayla Renwick, Isis Gaskin, Monique Lashley, Daria Klufas, Amelie Baker and Leah Tully-Cornic.
Niel Skinner, Eric Lashley and Zahra Gaskin, recently named to the Junior Emerging Athlete Programme will anchor the 16-19 age group along with Zari Hinds, McCallum Clarke, Ashley Weekes and Rebecca Lashley. They will all be competing in the Triathlon and Aquathlon with the exception of Rebecca Lashley and McCallum Clarke who will specialize in the Aquathlon only.
Unfortunately Chris Pollard (15) and Chara Hinds (16) have sustained injuries and will not be able to compete but will accompany the team.
Team Barbados performed admirably at the previous CARIFTA Championships which were hosted in Trinidad & Tobago earning a fourth place finish with several individual medals. According to BFIT’s president, Darren Treasure, the team has the talent and the experience to improve on last year’s result.
“We have a good mix of triathletes who will be competing in their second or third CARIFTA Triathlon Championships as well as some newcomers with the potential to surprise. Some of our 15-year-olds from last year have moved up to the 16-19 category where we only had one competitor last year. Across all the age groups we have medal potentials and we expect to give the favourites Guadeloupe a strong challenge for top spot. The team has been busy preparing since the team was named in May. The hard work has been put in so it’s just a matter of focusing on the recovery and taper before competition begins.
“The infusion of talent and potential in the 11-12 age group speaks to the relevance triathlon is gaining in Barbados. Kids are now committing to triathlon as their primary sport and are reaching the minimum CARIFTA age much further along the development path compared to previous years. CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon is an important stepping-stone in the development of young triathletes in the region. BFIT sees this competition as an opportunity to build a pipeline of triathletes so that Barbados’ will always have a presence in the regional, continental and world triathlon scene,” Treasure said.
Team comprises of: 11-12 age group – Luke McIntyre, Asher Lashley, Matthieu Clarke, Cain Banfield, Daniel Lashley and Heidi Baker; 13-15 age group – Christopher Pollard, Lucas Austin, Fynn Armstrong, Adam Marshall, Kah’Ryan Adams, Amelie Baker, Kayla Renwick, Isis Gaskin, Monique Lashley, Daria Klufas and Leah Tully-Cornic; 16-19 age group – Niel Skinner, Eric Lashley, Zari Hinds, McCallum Clarke, Zahra Gaskin, Chara Hinds, Ashley Weekes, Rebecca Lashley.
The coach is Oein Josiah and team manager is Nicholas Lashley.
