Editorial Let’s get our Bajan athletes back on track by Barbados Today 05/04/2024 written by Barbados Today 05/04/2024 4 min read A+A- Reset Share FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail 1.1K Still fresh from the national excitement we experienced over the past weeks with the staging of both the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships (BSSAC) and National Primary Schools’ Athletic Championship (NAPSAC), lovers of athletics were glued to the television and online platforms last weekend as they watched Carifta action. The 51st annual championship was held in Grenada at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium on a newly-laid track. Sadly, unlike years past, there was hardly much to cheer about as it relates to the competitiveness of the Barbadian team. Our showing this year has left much to be desired. That notwithstanding, we offer hearty congratulations to those athletes who did well, allowing us to bag five medals. However, the inability to have relay teams when there were lanes assigned to Barbados should be a major cause for concern. But how did we get here? Why are we here? And, more importantly, what can be done to ensure we never visit this level of non-performance ever again? Truth is, the recent results did not happen overnight. Unlike all our neighbours, we have taken a much longer period to bounce back from the effects of COVID-19 on our sports in general. We must remember that while our neighbours returned to training and competitive sports after COVID, Barbados took longer to relax the restrictions which were in place. You Might Be Interested In #BTEditorial – Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019 #BTEditorial – Sleeping and turning our cheeks on crime #BTEditorial – Let’s get serious about our waste management The results of the last five years at Carifta Games should have raised some red flags as relates to our slide. There was also a worrying decline in the number of athletes representing Barbados in the field events and hurdles – in which we were once a powerhouse in the region. There are a number of factors that contributed to this decline. Many of our athletic clubs and schools do not have throwing implements, high jump beds and hurdles for training and physical education classes. It has been reported that many schools are reluctant to purchase these items which can run into the thousands of dollars. In some cases, some schools simply cannot afford it. We hope that this shortcoming is addressed in the much talked about educational reform. We would like to see the availability of equipment for schools across the country to enhance physical education programmes. There is also the issue of lack of domestic competition. It would appear that the Athletics Association of Barbados (AAB) has abandoned a once vibrant out-of-season programme which offered early developmental competition for budding athletes. The months of November and December were once used for competition on grass. Athletes were exposed to odd distance events along with competition in jumps and throws. This out-of-season programme was used by coaches as an assessment tool to gauge the improvement of athletes. Athletic powerhouses such as Mario Burke, Shane Brathwaite, Tristan Evelyn benefited greatly from this developmental period. Who will revive the annual Relay Fair which was great for athletes and spectators alike? Will coaches buy into the need for a return to such development in the off season? Not having use of the National Stadium remains a major contributor to this decline. There has been no recent word on the construction of a new stadium at Waterford which is to be built with $40 million grant funding from the People’s Republic of China. In February, at St Peter Parish Speaks, Prime Minister Mia Mottley promised that 50 bleachers, which could seat 500 to 1 000 people, were on the way. No delivery time was given but we are now at the end of the athletic season with BSSAC, NAPSAC and Carifta Games completed and there has been no update on this either. Carifta 2024 will be remembered as the year when Barbados did not have a single competitor in the hurdles. For many years, this country could have counted on medals in this event. The absence of a stadium here resulted in no competition in hurdle events. No stadium contributed to low numbers in the high and long jumps. Throwers had to be shuttled from Bridgetown to St Peter in order to compete in throwing events. There is much talk about the completion of the stadium but that conversation must also address a training facility to take the load off the competition venue. Availability of equipment must also be easily accessible to clubs and schools. Barbados can boast of numerous certified coaches. Maybe it’s time for a structured national programme that utilises our best coaches to assist with preparation for regional and international competition. It is time to respect the efforts of the coaches and appreciate the resilience of the athletes as we navigate this challenging time for our track and field. A year in track and field is a long time. It isn’t too late to get back on track and reverse the results of this year’s Carifta Games. Barbados Today Stay informed and engaged with our digital news platform. The leading online multimedia news resource in Barbados for news you can trust. 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