East Coast test for Pacers' youngsters

The Bermuda Pacers Track Club will make their 33rd appearance at the 2014 Russell E. Blunt East Coast Invitational Track meet this weekend in North Carolina.

Hosted by the Durham Stride Track Club for the past 14 years, the event will be held  at the Durham Country Memorial Stadium from Friday.

At last year’s event, the Pacers team placed fifth overall. High jumper  Elisha Darrell captured the 13-14 boys’ Age Group title, while the Pacers also won the 9-10 girls’ team division. This year the club will have 32 athletes compete in 72 individual events and four relay teams in the 4x400 metres.

Leading this year’s team will be Carifta athletes Taahira Butterfield, Sakari Famous and David Darrell.

Butterfield will compete in the 17-18 girls 100 and 200 metres, Famous will compete in the 13-14 girls high jump while Darrel will compete in the 15-16 boys’ 800m and 1,500m.

The club will also be sending a full contingent of athletes in the 13-14 girls, 11-12 girls and 9-10 girls divisions.

Competing in the 13-14 girls will be Syriah Lottimore (200m, 400m and long jump) Zariah Simmons (200m and 400m), Zekiah Lewis (100m, high jump and long jump), Mikaela Outerbridge (800m and 1,500m) and Zye Simmons (100m and 200m), who will make her first appearance at the event.

In the 11-12 girls’ division, the team will have Koa Goodchild (400m and long jump), Tyler Hines (200m and 400m), Selah Tuzo (800m and 1500m),  Danni Watson (100m and 200m), Noaah Powell (100m and 200m), Makayla Tucker (400m and long jump), Kayla Raymond (400m and 800m) and Corriah Simmons (100m and 200m),  all be making their first appearance at the event.

In the 9-10 girls’ division, the team will consist of Jade Johnson (800m and 1500m): Jahstice Grant (100m and 200m), Asia-Leigh Hollis (100m  and long jump), Sanaa Rae Morris 100m, 200m and long jump), Yasmyne Smith (800m and 1,500m) and Tes’yah-Mahle Astwood (400m and 800m), who will be competing in this event for the first time.  All three of the girls’ teams will compete in the 4X400 metre relay events.

In the 9-10 boys’ division, the team will consist of Niyan Outerbridge, who will be competing in the 100m, 200m and long jump and Kahzi Sealy, who will compete in the 800m and the 1,500m, where he captured a bronze medal last year.

In the 11-12 boys’ category Jayden Furbert-Jacobs and Clevonte Lodge Bean will compete in the 100m, 200m and 400metres, while Ryan Outerbridge will compete in the 800m, 1,500m and 3,000m. Samuels Darrell will take part in the high jump and long jump. The 13-14 boys’ division consists of the top middle-distance runners on the island — Jayden Ming (800m, 1,500m and 3,000m) and Aaron Jacobs (400m, 800m and 1,500m) — both of whom won medals at last year’s event. Malik Joell will make his debut appearance in the 1,500m and 3,000m. 

Accompanying the team to the event will be members of the Pacer executive, coaches, parents and family members. The team will return home on Tuesday.