Bahamian junior athletes, and some collegians, hit qualifying standards for international meets while competing at the 2026 Fritz Grant Track & Field Invitational at the original Thomas A. Robinson (TAR) Track and Field Stadium on Saturday.
Hundreds of athletes got an opportunity to shine with the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Under-18 (U18) and Under-23 (U23) Championships and the World Athletics Under-20 (U20) Championships both right around the corner.
While several field athletes achieved qualifying marks, athletes on the track had to contend with wind-aided times due to strong wind conditions.
Event organizer Fritz Grant spoke about the overall success of the one-day meet.
“We had a number of athletes who made qualifying standards, especially in the field events — the shot put, discus and the javelin,” Grant said. “The competition was extremely competitive, and in the track events, times were fast, but would have been wind-aided. They ran very fast. Unfortunately, the wind did not cooperate with them but the performances were outstanding. I thought the athletes really competed at a high level, and it bodes well for the nationals coming up. I think it’s gonna be very exciting.”
CARIFTA Games standout Jazae Johnson, of St. John’s College, had a strong day in the U18 girls’ 100 meters (m) final. She ran a wind-aided 11.43 seconds to win the event. Her time would have qualified her for both the NACAC U18 and U23 Championships and the World Athletics U20 Championships, but the race had an illegal wind reading of 5.7 metres per second (mps).
Johnson also competed in the U18 girls’ triple jump, soaring 11.90m (39’ 0-1/2”) for another first place finish.
Upward Performance’s Taree Forbes, of St. Augustine’s College (SAC), made the most of her run in the U18 girls’ 200m final. She clocked a wind-aided 24.22 seconds to lead all competitors.
The event had an illegal wind reading of 4.2mps, preventing her from officially qualifying despite running faster than both the NACAC U18 standard of 24.25 seconds and the World U20 standard of 24.35 seconds. She also left the meet with a first-place finish in the U18 girls’ long jump, leaping a wind-aided 5.80m (19’ 0-1/2”).
SAC’s Alexis Roberts, who recently committed to the University of Kentucky, secured a pair of victories on Saturday.
She won the open women’s 400m final in 55.13 seconds, dipping below the World U20 qualifying standard of 55.20 seconds.
Her second victory came in the open women’s 200m final, where she stopped the clock in a wind-aided 23.87 seconds.
Northwestern State University sophomore Nia Richards stood out in the open women’s 100m hurdles final. She cleared the hurdles in a swift but wind-aided 13.91 seconds. Her time was under the World U20 standard of 14.10 seconds, but the race featured a wind reading of 5.5mps.
The top three finishers in the U18 boys’ 200m final, all representing Bahamas Speed Dynamics, recorded times below the NACAC U18 qualifying standard of 21.98 seconds, but all performances were wind-aided.
Jachario Wilson claimed first place in 21.40 seconds, and teammates Tristan Lockhart and Aiden Musgrove finished second and third, respectively. Lockhart crossed the line in 21.48 seconds, and Musgrove followed in 21.52 seconds.
Wilson was also successful in the U18 boys’ 110m hurdles, posting a wind-aided 13.13 seconds.
Kyden Thurston, representing the T-Bird Flyers, stayed the course in the U18 boys’ 3,000m event. As the lone competitor, he completed the race in 9:33.18. His time was well below the NACAC U18 and U23 qualifying standard of 10:36.15.
All three top finishers in the U18 boys’ 100m final ran faster than the NACAC U18 qualifying standard, but their performances were wind-aided. Bahamas Speed Dynamics’ Terrin Beckles won the event in 10.59 seconds, and BM Management’s Rohman Rolle placed second in 10.66 seconds. Musgrove rounded out the top three with a time of 10.69 seconds.
Blue Chip Athletics’ thrower Ahnae Smith captured victories in both the U18 girls’ shot put and discus throw events. She recorded marks of 12.69m (41’ 7-1/2”) and 36.78m (120’ 8”) respectively, to qualify for the NACAC U18 and U23 Championships as well as the World U20 Championships.
Tarjahnaye Green and Alyssa Thurston also surpassed the NACAC qualifying standard of 32.67m (107’ 2”) in the discus throw with marks of 34.83m (114’ 3”) and 34.78m (114’ 1”) respectively.
The top three throwers in the U18 boys’ shot put all exceeded the NACAC qualifying standard of 11.98m (39’ 3-3/4”).
Carmeljo Woodside, representing Triple Threat Throws, claimed first place with a throw of 14.92m (48’ 11-1/2”). C.H. Reeves’ David Douglas finished second with a mark of 13.85m (45’ 5-1/4”). Sherman Ferguson, representing SAC, secured third place with a throw of 13.42m (44’ 0-1/4”).
The trend continued in the U18 boys’ discus throw, where the NACAC U18 and U23 qualifying standard is 40.93m (134’ 3”).
Kaiden Kemp and Douglas recorded throws of 48.51m (159’ 2”) and 44.31m (145’ 4”) respectively, to finish first and second. Air Assault’s Kendal Turner placed third with a throw of 43.34m (142’ 2”).
Meanwhile, two athletes qualified in the U18 boys’ javelin throw.
CARIFTA medalist Ahkeel Williams surpassed the NACAC U18 qualifying standard of 51.60m (169’ 3”) with a winning throw of 61.75m (202’ 7”).
SAC’s Sherman Ferguson also qualified with a second-place throw of 53.52m (175’ 7”). Air Assault’s Allan McPhee finished third with a throw of 38.90m (127’ 7”).
The remaining results from the Fritz Grant Track & Field Invitational can be found at the website www.tekresults.net.
