The 2021 Carifta Swimming Championships that had been set to get underway from March 26 to April 7 has been postponed due to the recent spikes in the number of Covid-19 cases in Barbados.
Barbados has recorded more than 350 active cases and 11 deaths as a wave of new infections prompted Prime Minister Mia Mottley to announce new measures including an 11-hour daily curfew and a two-week lockdown of the island.
It was with this in mind that President of the Barbados Amateur Swimming Association Cheryl Lady Forde said her executive decided to postpone the championships.
“It is with the greatest regret that I must inform you that Carifta 2021, will not take place in Barbados as scheduled for March 26th -April 7th. An Executive decision was taken this evening by the BASA to postpone Carifta 2021 after a review of the current COVID-19 situation in Barbados and by extension, in the region,” she said in correspondence Wednesday to member associations.
“It was agreed that a new date would be decided after the "national pause"- lockdown that is expected to end on February 17th, and after we have had an opportunity to meet with the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit.
“In the absence of a vaccine, with the new variant present in Barbados, community spread locally, the general spiking of COVID-19 cases in neighbouring countries and changing travel protocols locally and in a number of our neighbouring countries, it was agreed that it would be prudent to postpone this regional competition at this time.”
A number of countries across the region have been struggling to get their swimming programmes back on track. In Jamaica, the ASAJ, is awaiting government approval to get swimming meets back as many local swimmers needed to achieve qualifying standards for the Carifta Games.
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Belize, Barbados, and St Kitts and Nevis secure wins in CONCACAF Nations League C
The 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League C saw exciting action on Saturday, with Belize, Barbados, and Saint Kitts and Nevis emerging victorious in their respective group encounters. All three teams secured first place in their groups with strong performances that marked winning starts to their campaigns.
Belize delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Turks and Caicos Islands at the TCIFA National Stadium in Providenciales, securing the top spot in Group B. The visitors opened the scoring early, with Orlando Velasquez netting a header in the 12th minute off a free kick from Nahjib Guerra. Jordy Polanco doubled the lead in the 43rd minute, converting a free kick from midfield, and Michael Palacio added a third in the 66th minute from the penalty spot.
Polanco completed his brace in the 73rd minute, slotting home a left-footed shot after receiving a cross from Gabriel Ramos. Belize goalkeeper Charles Tillett preserved his clean sheet by denying Billy Forbes from the penalty spot in the 76th minute, sealing an emphatic victory for the visitors.
With the win, Belize took first place in Group B, holding the edge on goal difference.
Barbados earned a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Bahamas in a tightly contested Group A match at the Bethlehem Soccer Complex in Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands. Zachary Applewhite gave Barbados the early lead in the 10th minute with a strike from outside the box, but the Bahamas leveled the match in the 42nd minute through Brandon Adderley, who headed home a corner from Jordan Cheetham.
Adderley then put the Bahamas in front with a left-footed finish in the 66th minute, but Barbados rallied late. Ethan Taylor equalized in the 80th minute with a header from a corner, and two minutes later, Andre Applewhaite scored the match-winner with a strike from the left side of the box.
Barbados now sits atop Group A with three points, while the Bahamas remain on one point following their earlier draw with the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Saint Kitts and Nevis secured a dominant 4-1 win over the Cayman Islands at the Truman Bodden Complex in George Town, moving to the top of Group C. Kimaree Rogers opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a left-footed finish after connecting with a long cross from Malique Roberts. Tiquanny Williams doubled the lead in the 19th minute with a well-placed shot from the right side of the box and earned his second goal of the match in the 37th minute, capitalizing on a through ball from Gvaune Amory.
The Cayman Islands pulled one back in the 51st minute through Mason Duval, who headed home a cross from Joshwa Campbell, but Dionis Stephen restored Saint Kitts and Nevis' three-goal lead in the 72nd minute with a left-footed strike inside the box.
Saint Kitts and Nevis took first place in Group C, edging out the Cayman Islands on goal difference, with both teams sitting on three points.
These wins mark strong starts for Belize, Barbados, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, who now lead their respective groups as the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League C continues.
Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams dominate with victories at Zagreb meet
Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams continued their impressive seasons with dominant performances at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sunday. The meet, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold since 2020, featured several standout performances from Caribbean athletes, with Nugent and Williams leading the way.
Nugent, the world leader in the 100m hurdles with her blistering 12.24 set at the Rome Diamond League, once again demonstrated her class, claiming victory in 12.55. Facing a quality field that included former world record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Nugent ran a composed race to comfortably secure first place. Great Britain's Cindy Sember finished second in 12.67, with Harrison third in 12.76. 2022 World Championship silver medalist Britany Anderson of Jamaica finished sixth in 12.91.
In the women’s 400m, Stacey-Ann Williams ran the race of her life, clocking a lifetime best and meet record of 50.00 seconds to win the event. Williams faced strong competition but managed to hold off Norway’s Henriette Jaeger, who ran 50.22, and the USA’s Shamier Little, who finished third in 50.58. Barbados' Sada Williams, showing signs of fatigue after a long season, finished fourth in 51.23.
The Jamaican victories were part of a broader Caribbean presence on the podium in Zagreb. Shashalee Forbes finished second in the women’s 100m, clocking 11.23 behind Gambia’s Gina Bass Bittaye, who won in 11.13. The USA’s Jenna Prandini rounded out the top three with a time of 11.30.
In the 800m, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule ran a strong race to finish second with a time of 1:57.43, just behind Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir, who set a meet record of 1:57.00. Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew finished third in a personal best of 1:57.47.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 110m hurdles, Tokyo Olympic champion Hansle Parchment secured third place in 13.25. Japan’s Rachid Muratake claimed victory in 13.14, holding off American Daniel Roberts, who finished second in 13.18.
Hotshot: Ja's Shayon Francis shines at Smoking Barrels Xtreme Regional Shooting tourney in Barbados
Corporal Shayon Francis, one of Jamaica’s accomplished female pistol shooters and brand ambassador for Spectrum Systems Limited, once again showcased her exceptional skills at the recently-concluded Smoking Barrels Xtreme Regional Shooting Competition in Barbados.
Francis, whose passion for sport shooting unleashes her competitive edge, secured the prestigious High Lady Award as the highest-placed female shooter overall.
The St Thomas native, who honed her skills competing against some of the top shooters locally and internationally, again demonstrated that prowess as she outshone several of her top-tier male counterparts from across the Caribbean and beyond.
The outstanding performance by Francis underscores her dedication to the sport, and the unwavering support of Spectrum Systems Limited has been integral to her achieving these significant milestones.
“We are incredibly proud of Shayon’s achievements on the international stage,” said Andrew Stanigar, Managing Director of Spectrum Systems Limited.
Stanigar pointed out that Spectrum Systems Limited remains committed to supporting Francis’ journey and promoting excellence in sports as she continues to chart a dazzling course in her shooting career.
“Her success is a testament to her hard work and the values we uphold at Spectrum Systems. We are honoured to have her represent our brand,” he added.
For Francis, the performance was a result of her unflinching desire to succeed each time she gets on course. As such, she believes there is still room for improvements.
“My performance was solid, and although there is always room for growth, I’m thrilled to have represented Jamaica with pride. I’d like to extend a huge thank you to my amazing sponsor, Spectrum Systems Limited, for their continued support on my journey to the World Shoot in South Africa 2025. I am grateful for their belief in me,” Francis declared.
Marksmanship is a skill that can be developed and must be maintained. But speed and fitness are also critical components in practical pistol shooting, something that Francis is well aware of.
It is with that in mind why she has no intentions of sitting on her laurels, as she targets more positive performances in the build up for that World Shoot.
“My overall goal is to be on the podium each time I go out to compete and so the aim is to build on this performance, but it will take constant training to make that happen. So, again, I intend to put in some more training time to reap more success,” Francis noted.
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