Float parade (Photo: Kristaan Ingraham/BIS)
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NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Escorted by police outriders in a
Float Parade through the streets of New Providence, CARIFTA Athletes shared
their team spirit with fellow Bahamians, as they prepare for this weekend’s High
School Relays competition.
“We want to congratulate all our young, upcoming athletes,
who are really showing that The Bahamas is back on the mark to becoming number
one. The CARIFTA Swim, CARIFTA Track & Field, CARFITA Chess, E-Class
Mens Softball, Rake N Scrape Boys, Male Soccer, and Female Soccer. We
have had so many fantastic winners over the past few months and we are just
here to congratulate all of them,” said the Hon. Danny Johnson, Minister of
Youth, Sports & Culture.
A celebration motorcade left Moss Road about
4:00 p.m.,
Thursday, April 16, and headed through Thompson Boulevard, Poinciana Drive, Baillou
Hill Road to Bay Street, Elizabeth Avenue, Shirley Street, East Street, Wulff
Road, then back to the National Stadium for an uplifting Pep Rally that began a
little after
7:00 p.m.
The CARIFTA team appeared excited to show their fans all
they have to give. These young Bahamian Athletes, who have already won at
least twice already, are destined to make historical records, now competing
with others currently holding international world titled records.
“We had a fantastic rally today at
4:00. This is their
culmination of it. This weekend’s event will be the test event for World
Relays and you’ll see the best relay performers on the same stage on the
fastest track in the world, with the fastest man in the world. And, these
kids get to be on that track, same day and same time,” said Minister Johnson.
“I think they will ‘threepeat’ and after they “threepeat’,
we have huge plans in place to host the first Caribbean Youth Olympic Games,
which is what CARIFTA was meant to be. The great Austin Sealy’s plan left
a signed copy of it with me last year that says ‘Danny try and see if we can do
this plan’. Seven course sports on seven different days, during the
course of the Summer Caribbean Youth Olympics. We are going to push that
next and show what we really can do as a region.”
Minister Johnson also advised the public to look out for
Bahama Games. He said the Ministry is planning to get it together within
the next two years from this summer.
“I’m going into five Family Islands to get them appropriate
sports facilities. Really, really nice grass fields with decent running
surface, decent practice surface, real coaching, real programs, sports academy,
Moore’s Island, Central Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Exuma, and Cat Island,” said
Minister Johnson.
“We’re going into those islands and making sure they have
proper facilities, coaching and an academy. Out of that, in a couple of
years, we move into Bahama Games. We’ll have the Bahama Games. And,
the Bahama Games and the Family Island sport facilities is going to change the
whole sports and youth development and it’s going to revolutionize this
country.”