CARIFTA Games, April 7-10, 2023: AAG’s Hutson confident of strong Guyana performance

…18 shortlisted for team so far

For this year’s CARIFTA Games, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) is not only focused on medals, but is looking at a podium position when it comes to overall finishers at the games.
Although Guyana is not looking to outrival hosts Bahamas or powerhouse Jamaica, Hutson believes this year’s team has what it takes to finish in 3rd place. It is for this reason that the team is already in training.
With trials done and dusted, Hutson says the team can be upwards of 18 persons.
“We’re looking at just around 18 athletes to take to the CARIFTA Games. We just might spike that up to 19 to get the additional technical official under the quota system, because if you take 19 athletes, then you’re entitled to four management persons: being coach, team manager, physio…,” Hutson explained.
He added, “But that decision will be made by council tomorrow afternoon; we will naturally take it from there. Those athletes who would’ve surpassed our standards that we would’ve set over the past couple of years are definitely going to be on the team. We’re still looking at some others who are pretty close,” he disclosed.

However, the list of the 18-member team is not yet set in stone, since the Association is considering the inclusion of several overseas-based Guyanese athletes who have made the qualification standard.
Hutson disclosed, “We’re still negotiating with some of the colleges in the USA, particularly for Anisha Gibbons, who would like to go back to the CARIFTA Games to set a new record for the Games, because she says she’s feeling that good. But there seems to be a bit of clashing.
“We’re looking at Seon Booker out of Jamaica also, who would’ve done a 1:51 in the 800M in Jamaica. We’re also looking at Wesley Noble out of the USA, who did a split of 44:21, I think it is in the 400M. Trevon Hamer out of Jamaica has also made our standards in the long and triple jump. Outside of that, the bulk of the athletes will be coming from Guyana,” the AAG President explained.
Meanwhile, regarding Hutson’s hope for a podium finish, the AAG Boss articulated confidence in several of Guyana’s young talents who can get the team to that achievement. Hutson reasoned, “We need to at least come in third, you know, knowing the power of Jamaica and the Bahamas competing at home. But I think that we need to at least move away from 4th or 5th and see if we can earn that 3rd spot.
“We did trials very early in the season, and we did not have much before those trials. So, the hope is that this one-month period that we have, we can sharpen some of those athletes to come up to a higher standard,” Hutson added as he mentioned Attoya Harvey, Odida Parkinson and Tiana Springer as some talents to look out for at the Games.
The CARIFTA Games are set for April 7-10 in the Bahamas.