ANGUILLA—Five Anguillian track and field athletes will travel on Tuesday, April 12 to Jamaica to compete in the 49th edition of the CARIFTA Games to be held from 16 to 18 April at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. The Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) track and field championship event is regarded as one of the world’s leading regional junior meetings. Representing Anguilla in the games are: Sage Connor, Thalia Hinds, Terrone Webster, Tajhjani Brooks, and Jo’Quan Richardson. They are all competing in track running events.
Digicel Telecommunication Company who is proudly sponsoring the athletes’ participation to the CARIFTA event hosted a grand send-off ceremony on Friday, April 8th in their office in The Valley to recognize the five competitors and to wish them success. The well-wishers included Minister of Social Development and Education, Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers, Director of Sports Delano Mussington, President of the Anguilla Athletic Amateur Federation Lorna Rogers, Coach Alexis Ryan and proud parents and friends.
Minister Kentish-Rogers wished the athletes well and lauded Digicel for their sponsorship of the youth. She said, “Our young people travelling and representing Anguilla represent the best that this country has to offer and it is a very proud moment when they will stand in front of the crowd in Jamaica and hear Anguilla’s name called…there is nothing like that, nothing to compare.” She reminded the athletes that their journey in the sporting world is a community effort and not one gained by only their effort. She said, “This is something that you have to keep in mind as you continue your journey and step onto that track. You are not only representing just one person but 15,000 persons.”
Both Lorna Rogers and Coach Ryan expressed their appreciation to Digicel for their sponsorship of the athletes and to all entities involved in the development and support of the young athletes going off to Jamaica to represent Anguilla. Following the remarks, Digicel provided the athletes with backpacks.
