Largest ever regional junior meet signals continued growth

The CARIFTA Triathlon, Aquathlon, and Mixed Relay Championships are back in Barbados, where they started in 2017. The sixth edition of the youth competition, however, will be much different than the first. Participation will be greater, and intensity is expected to be much higher than has ever been the case.

The swimmers, riders, and runners will compete along the Mighty Grynner Highway from Friday to Sunday. It’s a big step up from the National Aquatic Centre, which was the host venue back in 2017. On Saturday morning, the highway will be closed to facilitate the scores of athletes from around the region.

President of the Barbados Federation of Island Triathletes (BFIT) Dr Garth Mcintyre, told Barbados TODAY that growth has been steady. In 2023, approximately 150 athletes competed in the Bahamas. Barbados is welcoming just about 200.

“We do issue invitations to the extended Caribbean, including Cuba and Haiti and so on,” he noted. “But this year we’re doing well again in terms of numbers of federations. We have 12 federations.

“There are some of the regulars in terms of Bahamas, Bermuda, Trinidad & Tobago… those are the big teams. Jamaica has gotten pretty big as well. The winner in the first three years (2017, 18, and 19) was Guadeloupe. And then they weren’t around for the last two. But they have an athlete coming this year, so hopefully they’re on the return. Martinique also has a team, so we at least have the return of our French people.

“And competing for the first time as well we have St Kitts & Nevis sending athletes. So it’s a mixture of some of the bigger established teams and some small federations joining in the activity.”

In addition to the host nation and two-time defending champions, the full lineup includes Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Barbados’ team will include 35 athletes, the governing federation’s largest contingent ever, as they chase a three-peat on home soil, and in home waters. 22 of the young athletes have had previous experience at this level.

In the 11-12 age group, the distances are 200m swim, 5km bike ride, and 1.5km run. In the 13-15 category, athletes will do a 400m swim, 10km ride, and 2.5km run. The 16+ divisions take on a 750m swim, 20km ride, and 5km run. Athletes can do a full triathlon, or an aquathlon, incorporating a swim and run.

Mcintyre acknowledged that whereas the sport is getting bigger in Barbados and the wider Caribbean, the resources and logistics required for success in triathlon can be a significant barrier for some. But he was quick to point out that BFIT had taken steps to help more young people get involved in the discipline.

“There are a few things with triathlon that make it challenging,” he admitted. “Unfortunately it is an expensive sport. A lot of that expense comes with the acquisition of bicycles. So that’s a big capital outlay for parents and kids who are new to a sport. Some kids take up something for a short period of time and then discard it.

“But we have circumvented that problem, largely by introducing a very affordable bike rental programme, that has definitely seen an uptick in our local participation. So that’s one.

“And then of course there are expenses incurred with getting gear and equipment for all three sports, and coaching in all three sports. A lot of the kids are in individual clubs for the individual events.

“And it’s also a lot of parental work, carting your kids around to three different activities during the course of the week. So it takes a lot from the family – kids and parents – to make it all happen.”

Exposure through Jason Wilson and Matthew Wright at the Olympics has been a boost to the sport locally. In the wider Caribbean, Bermuda’s Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, Dame Flora Duffy, has brought far greater attention to triathlon.

“I think we will continue to grow. We know we always have issues regarding our size and scale, but I think we’ll continue to grow,” he insisted. “And our good athletes have shown themselves to be good in the wider region, with races in Puerto Rico, our youth and juniors have shown themselves to be good further afield. So I think we’ll continue.”

Mcintyre told Barbados TODAY that he is very happy with where triathlon is at the moment in Barbados. He said that although some of the delegations have had travel issues due to inclement weather in the northern Caribbean, the majority of the athletes arrived on Wednesday, and will be doing familiarisation swims on Thursday.

Good weather is expected for the weekend, as the region’s best young triathletes are set to strut their stuff in Barbados.

(TF)