Ephraim Serrette, president of the National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAATT), has expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming CARIFTA Athletics Championships which this country will host at the Hasely Crawford Stadium from April 19-21. At the launch of the event last week, the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee vice-president also highlighted the historical significance of the Games, noting that T&T played a pivotal role in its inception. Serrette acknowledged the contributions of Dr Jesse Noel and Rawle Raphael, who were instrumental in the conceptualisation of the CARIFTA Games, with the first edition staged by Austin Sealy in Barbados in 1972. Serrette emphasised the importance of the CARIFTA Games in the development of young athletes, stating: “We continue to showcase a number of our top athletes at this level, and then we see them on the big stage at Worlds and the Olympics. So, the Games continue to be very competitive.” He further added: “It’s termed a developmental meet, but we don’t see it as developmental. In athletics, we are very competitive.” Reflecting on past performances, Serrette noted that while T&T secured over 40 medals in 2012, recent tallies have dwindled to around 30. He expressed optimism about reversing this trend, citing collaborative efforts with the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) and the Ministry of Sport and Community Development to ensure the timely delivery of facilities. “We are working with SporTT and the Ministry, with the delivery date of the track on April 5,” Serrette mentioned. He also highlighted that trials for CARIFTA will be held at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, and the outside field of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, as the track is under preparation and being re-laid. Preparations are in full swing, with 28 countries expected to participate, bringing together over 900 athletes and officials. To accommodate the influx, arrangements have been made for the athletes’ village, including accommodations at the Hyatt and Radisson hotels, with additional lodging at the BRIX and spillover to Kapok Hotel. International technical officials will be hosted at the Marriott Courtyard at Invaders Bay. Serrette also noted the interest from about 20 technical officials who are self-funding their travel to officiate at the games. “We are very confident that these Games will be the best CARIFTA Games ever held, seeing that it was conceptualised here,” he said. Plans are under way to honour the founders at the opening ceremony, with local sports icons like Keshorn Walcott and Jereem Richards expected to be part of the TTO contingent as part of an initiative for them to motivate the local athletes. Highlighting the enthusiasm from participating nations, Serrette mentioned that teams will be travelling to Trinidad with large contingents. He pointed out that the Bahamas has already booked 250 seats at the Stadium. “Bahamas is a little different from everybody else,” Serrette said at the CARIFTA launch at the Hasely Crawford, Thursday. “Their government provides a plane for their team to travel. That is their government’s contribution to athletics. They get a plane from the Bahamas government that takes them to wherever CARIFTA is, and that factors in their Junkanoo Band, who will also be here.” To ensure a vibrant atmosphere, Serrette added: “We have to counter that. We can’t have Junkanoo coming here and we don’t have a rhythm section.” CARIFTA Aquatics Championships: Simultaneously, the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships will be held at the National Aquatic Centre in Couva from April 19-22, with open water events scheduled for April 23 in Chaguaramas. The Aquatics Sports Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) has expressed excitement about welcoming participants to the nation’s shores. ASATT has confirmed the participation in the championships of 26 Caribbean countries. Ticket prices for both events have been structured to encourage attendance, with daily tickets for the Athletics Championships priced at $40 for adults and $20 for children under 12. Season tickets are also available at $100 for adults and $50 for children. Similar pricing structures are expected for the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships.