Registration deadline missed, 4 Antiguan athletes excluded from World Championship

Antigua and Barbuda: Four out of Five young track and field athletes from Antigua and Barbuda who qualified for the World Athletics Under-20 Championship will not be attending the event as the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association (ABAA) failed to register for the same.

The world championship this year was scheduled to take place from 27th August to 31st August 2024 in Lima, Peru. The registration deadline for the same was extended this week, however, the ABAA failed to register leading to the exclusion of the athletes from the event.

This missing of deadline caused a big setback for the athletes as they had prepared for this championship with sincere dedication. The issue was raised in a meeting which was held at the YASCO Sports Complex on Wednesday. The athletes during the meet were informed of the missed deadline and its impact on their subsequent participation.

The parents of the athletes and other members of the athletic association were also present at the meeting. Whereas, the president of the association was absent further raising concerns among the athletes.

All Five junior players who qualified for the world championship included, Ajani Daley, Geolyna Dowdy, Dwayni Fleming, Kasiya Daley, and LaNica Locker. All athletes qualified were the members of the Power Speed Endurance (PSE) Track Club, which is known to nurture young sports talent and also achieved qualifying marks in various events at the National Track & Field Championships held in July.

Ajani Daley showcased a great potential throughout the season with her skills in sprinting and was expected to make a significant impact at the world championship. Geolyna Dowde, another athlete was also expected to deliver great performance as she is a standout player in several track events.

Dwayne Fleming, a gold medallist at the 2022 Under-17 Carifta Games, was another athlete who was expected to deliver best and bring medal. Kasiye Daley, also showcased a deep enthusiasm and was expected to hone the 200 m event with his performance. Lanicka Locker, on the other hand got qualified, however, she was not the part of the meet held on Wednesday.

Notably, the world championship is held every two years in accordance to honour young talent globally. The event provides a platform to emerging stars to compete internationally and gain valuable experience.

However, this year the absence of the four athletes from Antigua and Barbuda will be deeply felt not just by the athletes or their parents, but all the sports enthusiasts across the nation.