BNAA Athletes Set To Compete In Mexico
The Bermuda National Athletics Association [BNAA] is preparing their athletes for Carifta 2020, which will be held in Bermuda, with four athletes heading to Mexico for the NACAC U18 & U23 Championships.
Bermuda National Athletics Association President Donna Raynor said, “As the BNAA prepare our athletes for Carifta 2020 being held in Bermuda we have the NACAC U18 & U23 Championships ahead of us July 5th – 7th in Queretaro, Mexico.
“Any events we can get our athletes to at this time are very important and critical towards our preparation. We want our athletes to be ready to put on a good show in front of their home crowd and have several of them on the podium.
“We are getting ready to put on a great show on and off the track and are deep in the planning stages for April 2020. Things are going well and we are looking forward to the support of the Bermuda public.
“As you know, we officially launched Carifta 2020 to the public on May 24 with our Bermuda Day entry, Bermuda half marathon runners, and the launch of our website, Facebook and Instagram.
“Carifta is a great opportunity for our athletes to be seen by US coaches and possibly be offered a track n field scholarship which many of our track athletes over the years since its inception have been afforded.
“With that being said, we have four athletes who will be heading to Mexico to compete in these championships; three of them are our medalists from Carifta 2019.
“Caitlyn Bobb, who won the gold medal in the 400m and bronze medal in the 4X100m relay and has been tearing up the track in the US will compete in the 200m and 400m in the U18 age group. We are looking for some great things from Caitlyn for now and in the future. Caitlyn will move up to the U20 age group in Carifta 2020 but we have no doubt she will be ready for that move and her mom Dawnette Douglas, a former Olympian, is one of her biggest supporters and fans.
“Nathan Armstrong, who won the bronze in the 1500m and silver in the 3000m and has been competing well in the US since Carifta 2019 will be competing in the 1500m and 3000m in the U18 age group.
“We are looking for some great things from Nathan and know that he is receiving a lot of good advice from his father Terrance Armstrong. Nathan will also move up to the U20 age group in Carifta 2020 and with Nathan’s style of running the 5000m will suit him well.
“Nirobi Mills Smith, who won the gold in the 800m and has been turning in some good times here in Bermuda in our local track meets is in great shape. He will compete in the 800m in the U18 age group. The interesting story about Nirobi is that he will leave Mexico after his event is complete and head to Toronto to play in the Bermuda National U19 Cricket team.
“This is great for Bermuda sport as we work hand in hand with BCB to prepare an athlete for both competitions. Our hope is that he is successful in both. Nirobi will move also move up to the U20 age group in Carifta 2020 but with the times he is running he will be very competitive.
“Stephan Dill will compete in the 100m and 200m in the U23 age group. This will be a good competition for Stephan as he prepares to attend Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte, NC in August of this year and will be part of the track team. Again, this is an athlete who has gone through the Carifta Games system and opened the door for this opportunity.
“This competition is a great opportunity for our young athletes and we are looking for many more opportunities for all of our athletes in preparation towards Carifta 2020.”
