David Riley

A strong party of 70 athletes and 14 officials headed by head coach David Riley and manager Jeffrey Gordon will leave the island this morning at 10:30 a.m. on a chartered flight to Nassau, Bahamas, to defend their title at the Carifta Games, which will get under way on Saturday morning.

Following an excellent show at the recent ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships, the Jamaica team looks well set to continue its dominance at these Championships, but the host team, The Bahamas, are hoping to put a dent in the Jamaicans' reign in what is expected to be three days of exciting and furious competition.

After a table topping 78 medals in Bermuda last year, the Jamaicans are hoping to surpass that total and it will take something of a miracle if the host or any other team is to deprive the Jamaicans of finishing on top once again.

Despite having the likes of NCAA Indoor 400 metres champion and former World Junior champion Shaunae Miller in their line-up, the home team does not have the depth to topple the Jamaicans but they will be hoping that their strong home supporters will be able to help them along for something special.

With their sterling performances at Champs and with a one week break, the Jamaicans are raring to go and come this weekend, it could be more records tumbling on what is expected to be a new and fast Thomas Robinson Stadium track.

The Jamaicans boast a very strong, all-round team with the likes of Omar McLeod, Jahzeel Murphy, Christoff Bryan, Michael O'Hara and Fedrick Dacres among the boys and Shericka Jackson, Simoya Campbell and Gleneive Grange among the girls, expected to make their presence felt at the championship.

McLeod and Murphy along with Xavier Boland will be hoping to make it three wins in a row in their specific events, while Grange and Campbell are defending champions as well.

Bryan will be hoping to continue from where he left off last year in the high jump. He won the event in the Under 17 category last year and is looking forward to win in his first year competing in the Under 20 division.