NASSAU, Bahamas (5 April 2023) – The Bahamas will host the 50th CARIFTA Track & Field Championship this Easter weekend, 8 – 10 April, at the 50,000-seat Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, in New Providence. This year’s games, which coincide with The Bahamas’ 50th Independence Anniversary, will bring together in competition more than 600 athletes from 28 Caribbean countries.
During this year’s games, the second championship since the reopening of many Caribbean countries post pandemic, Team Bahamas will showcase its largest contingent ever, comprised of a total of 80 athletes, with the largest representation on record of athletes from the Family Islands. Team Bahamas will be under the supervision of eight coaches, three managers and five chaperones, led by head coach John Ingraham. The games will kick off with the opening ceremony on Friday, 7 April 2023, at 4 p.m.
Expressing his excitement about The Bahamas hosting this year’s games, the Honourable I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (MOTIA), said: “The Bahamas is delighted to host the CARIFTA Games for the ninth time. These games have been instrumental in developing our region’s athletes for the global stage. They’ve produced several Bahamian Olympic Champions, including Pauline Davis-Thompson; Shaunae Mller-Uibo; Chris Brown; Steven Gardiner; Eldece Clarke. This is also a great boost for regional tourism”.
“These games also provide an economic boost to our country with the hundreds of athletes, coaches, family members and many supporters who travel to attend these games,” added DPM Cooper.
Locally, there is mounting excitement about the upcoming Games, which are expected to attract record attendance. The track & field meets will roll out over the course of three intense days of competition, 8 – 10 April. Events prior to the meets will include the official opening ceremony on Thursday, 6 April at 4 p.m. and a Gospel concert billing top local artists on Good Friday, 7 April, at 8 p.m. From 7 – 10 April, a dynamic Caribbean Cultural Village will feature arts, crafts, dance and food and beverages of The Bahamas and guest countries such as Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and Jamaica. The closing ceremony will take place on Monday, 10 April, at 8 p.m.
Sponsors of the Track and Field Competition include Oaktree Medical Center, Scotiabank, Accounting Outsource Services Ltd, Aliv and Bahamas Waste.
For more information and save the dates, visit www.carifta50.com, Bahamas.com and TourismToday.com.
