The future of Trinidad and Tobago’s track and field was on full display this past weekend as the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAATT) hosted the 2026 CARIFTA Trials.
The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, serving as the ultimate proving ground for the nation’s premier junior talent.
From the explosive power of the short sprints to the technical precision of the field events, the weekend was defined by a surge of athletes officially meeting the qualifying standards for the upcoming CARIFTA Games.
The track events provided an early masterclass in speed, led by a sensational performance from Eden Chee-Wah of Memphis Pioneers.
Chee-Wah emerged as one of the most dominant forces of the trials, securing a “double standard” in the Girls Under 17 division by clocking 23.73s in the 200m and 54.90s in the 400m.
She was joined in the record books by Kayla Charles of Abilene Wildcats, who secured her spot in the U20 400m with a time of 54.94s.
The blue-riband 100m dash did not disappoint, as Giovanni Bobb-Semple (10.43s) and Trevaughn Stewart (10.45s) both dipped under the 10.50s U20 standard in a blistering final.
In the Under 17 category, Jayden Goodridge (10.54s) and Jquan Douglas (10.80s) also comfortably surpassed their qualifying mark of 10.83s.
Beyond the sprints, the middle and long-distance cohorts demonstrated remarkable tactical maturity.
Aniqah Bailey was a standout performer for Pace and Performance, achieving standards in both the U20 1500m (4:43.59) and the Open 3000m (10:39.09).
Her endurance was mirrored in the Boys U20 5000m, where Isaiah Alder (16:11.00) and Jeremy Samaroo (16:12.00) engaged in a thrilling battle that saw both athletes clear the CARIFTA barrier.
On the hurdles front, La Queen Welch showed great technical form to hit the Girls U17 400m Hurdles standard in 1:03.72, while Nyla Kerr secured her 800m qualification with a clinical 2:17.87.
The field events were equally productive, highlighted by the horizontal jumps where several athletes pushed each other to new heights.
Seannah Parsons of Mercury A.C. mimicked Chee-Wah’s track success by securing two standards in the U20 division, leaping 5.88m in the Long Jump and 12.60m in the Triple Jump.
The Boys U20 Triple Jump was perhaps the most competitive event of the weekend; Kristiano Perez (15.53m) and Jayden Maxwell (15.21m) both shattered the 14.67m requirement.
Perez also joined Imanni Matthew (7.10m) in clearing the Long Jump standard.
In the high jump pits, the Kaizen Panthers duo of Lemuel Ogbeifun and Kaleb Campbell both successfully cleared 1.93m to meet the U20 standard.
Trinidad and Tobago’s throwers also made a loud statement. In the shot put circles, Peyton Winter launched a commanding 13.90m to lead the U20 Girls, while Jelany Chinyelu hit the U20 Boys mark with a powerful 16.94m toss.
The Discus events saw Ethan Mayers (43.46m) and Daryan Boyce (48.14m) meet their respective U17 and U20 standards.
The Javelin runways were equally fruitful, as Tannon Niemeyer (52.17m) and Ezekiel Williams (60.81m) confirmed their status as regional threats by surpassing the qualifying marks.
With Tessica Laurence also clearing the 2.40m Pole Vault standard, the NAAATT selection committee now faces the unenviable task of finalizing a squad that appears to be one of the most balanced and formidable in recent years.
