Home|Sports|Sports‘Let’s Move Bahamas’Fun run/walk set for Easter Monday morning at Arawak Cay; all are invited to take part Sheldon Longley Send an emailMarch 23, 2023 139 4 minute readFacebook Twitter LinkedIn Share via Email
Under the patronage of Lord Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, the Let’s Move Bahamas CARIFTA Fun Run/Walk is expected to be one of the more grand events of the CARIFTA weekend, set for Easter Monday, April 10, starting and ending at Arawak Cay.
The event will get underway at 6 a.m., leaving Arawak Cay and heading west to the roundabout at Baha Mar Blvd., circling around and heading back to Arawak Cay. Registration is online by sending an e-mail to the address info@bahamastrackandfield.org. There will also be onsite registration on the morning of the event at 5:30 a.m. at Arawak Cay.
The community-based event, which will be one of the highlights of the CARIFTA weekend, is expected to attract participants in the thousands, including regional and international guests who will be here for the CARIFTA Games. All are invited to take part, particularly former CARIFTA athletes, who would have represented The Bahamas, or their respective countries, over the years.
“When you look at, there are about 4,500 athletes who would have represented The Bahamas at CARIFTA from 1973 to present day – 50 years of CARIFTA. We want every member of The Bahamas’ CARIFTA teams over the years to be a part of this event. Anyone who could be here, who once represented The Bahamas, and wore the 242 across their chest, is welcomed to come out and be a part of this event. This is an invitation to every former CARIFTA athlete to be a part of the Let’s Move Bahamas Fun Run/Walk,” said Drumeco Archer, president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA).
“The idea for us in track in field is to make this sport a bigger sport, so we are attracting more fans to come on board with us. One of the themes of this administration is to really engage the community, not only just in track and field, but the Bahamian community at large. It is a mandate of World Athletics, and we are pleased to say that the president of World Athletics Lord Sebastian Coe will be the patron of this event and he is incredibly excited about running with us on April 10. I can’t stress enough how important this event is, not only to the federation, but to the country. We want to promote wellness and we want to encourage everyone from every walk of life to be a part of this community-based event. We are extending an invitation out to the entire country.”
Not just Lord Coe, but other members of the World Athletics family including former World and Olympic Champion Edwin Moses and the great Willie Banks will be here taking part in the Let’s Move Bahamas CARIFTA Fun Run/Walk. The event is free of charge and all entrants will receive a Puma T-shirt. Also, the first 1,000 finishers will receive a medal. A raffle will also be held.
“We want everyone to take part. We are calling all former CARIFTA athletes and medalists to be a part of this grand event. We are expecting the numbers to be in the thousands, so we are asking people to register as soon as possible,” said Demrius Cash, BAAA special events coordinator. “Registration is open and you can register today by sending an e-mail to info@bahamastrackandfield.org expressing interest. Once you do that, there will be a registration form sent to you that could be filled out. Come one, come all and be a part of this great event.”
The Local Organizing Committee of the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games (LOC) has come on board with the event, offering its full support.
“We certainly endorse this event and we will be a part of the Let’s Move Bahamas CARIFTA Fun Run/Walk,” said Lynden Maycock, chief executive officer (CEO) of the LOC. “We invite our regional guests and partners to join us in this event and walk and run with us on April 10. We know that The Bahamas is a place for early morning walks and runs, so we invite all those early walkers and runners to come out and be a part of this great event.”
Also speaking on behalf of the LOC was the Dame of the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games Pauline Davis.
“We’re so excited to be able to participate in this event in support of the BAAA,” said Davis. “We want to congratulate the BAAA for organizing and staging this event, we believe it is a great gesture, and we wish you the best. We certainly look forward to taking part and joining in with the former CARIFTA athletics, our regional friends and members of World Athletics.”
Bahamian president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Mike Sands said there is already overwhelming support in favor of the Let’s Move Bahamas CARIFTA Fun Run/Walk. NACAC is the owner of the CARIFTA Games.
“NACAC is very proud to be a part of this event and I could say that the Let’s Move Bahamas event has certainly resonated among the masses,” said Sands. “I could tell you that the World Athletics family is very excited to be here for CARIFTA, particularly the Let’s Move Bahamas Fun Run/Walk. Lord Coe is a two-time Olympic champion and he is an avid walker and runner. He has pledged to be here, he is looking forward to this, and he will be participating. I am encouraging all Bahamians, and all visitors and everyone else, to take part. Let us unite as one Bahamas and let us all join in with this event.”
Following the Let’s Move Bahamas CARIFTA Fun Run/Walk, the final day of competition of the CARIFTA Games will commence at 9 a.m. The 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games is set for April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. Thirty-two countries are expected to take part in the CARIFTA Games. Perennial champions Jamaica, in particular, has pledged a full contingent, and has already paid for their charter flight into The Bahamas.
The final local trials for CARIFTA, the CARIFTA Trials/High School Nationals, is set for this weekend, March 25-27, at the Thomas A. Robinson stadium. It is a test event for the CARIFTA Games itself.