Vying for Carifta Selection
By Anthony De Beauville

The St. Lucia Athletics Association will on Sunday 2nd March 2008 stage its Annual National Junior Track and Field Championship at the George Odlum National Stadium in Vieux - Fort. Sunday’s event is scheduled to commence promptly at 10:00 a.m. and will see well over 300 athletes participating.
According to the SLAA a brief opening ceremony will see a March Past of the various representative schools, clubs, individuals and officials to be followed by addresses from the President of the SLAA Wayne Burton and officials representing the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
With less than 72 hours before the grand finale, athletic enthusiasts present will witness some of the islands best junior track and field athletes participate in five age categories - Under 13 Girls, Under 13 Boys, Junior Boys under 17, Girls Open under 20 and Senior Boys under 20.
The participating athletes will compete in a number of Track and Field events including sprints - 100m, 200m, 400m, middle distances 800m 1500m and 5000m, the field events - javelin, high jump, long jump, triple jump and discuss.

As always, to bring the curtains down on the day’s proceedings, the eye catching and breath taking 4 x100m and 4x400m relays in the male and female categories will see the various schools and clubs vie for supremacy for the fastest team on the track.
Sunday’s Junior Track and Field Championships will be the final opportunity for local athletes to convince the Technical Committee of the SLAA as they seek a spot on the national junior team, which will participate at the 37th Junior Carifta Games, scheduled for St. Kitts over the Easter weekend Friday 21st – Monday 24th March , 2008.
The SLAA, as always and this year is no exception, is therefore appealing to all and sundry to come out and lend support to St. Lucia’s finest junior track and field athletes participating at the Championships as they showcase their talent even against great odds.
Meanwhile, coaches and managers are reminded of the technical meeting slated for today Thursday 28th February 2008, commencing at 5:00 pm at Olympic House situated upstairs at the Department of Youth and Sports at Barnard Hill.