Anthonio Mascoll, the defending champion in the Under-20 Boys’ 800 metres, will not be representing Barbados at the 2012 CARIFTA Games in Hamilton, Bermuda, from April 7 to 9.
Mascoll has qualified for the games but has been listed as “unavailable”. A freshman at South Plains College, Texas, he is not slated to compete that weekend although the schedule does list the Angelo State Relays on April 5.
He is one of two qualifiers who were not named in the 35-member team. The other is Grantley Adams Memorial student Shanikah Haynes, who won the Under-17 Girls’ javelin at the just concluded inter-school sports.
Esther Maynard, president of the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA), told SUNSPORT that Haynes did not compete at the CARIFTA Selection Championships and that ruled her out as she was not medically exempt.
However, 16 athletes who did not meet the qualifying standards – but were at the trials – have been included. Of that number, eight are newcomers.
They are Under-15 athletes Tiana Bowen and Allana Ince; Under-17s Danielle Scantlebury, Ramarco Thompson, Ariko Small, Pius Emilien and Akeem McCollin as well as Under-20 Ariel Jackson.
Jalisa Burrowes, Lisa-Ann Barrow, Shaquille Alleyne, Deon Hope, Levi Cadogan, Nikolai Gall, Rhys Phillips and Klode Thompson have also been included, having fallen just short of the standards.
Maynard said the selection committee was also looking at strategic development.
“Obviously, when you come off a high like we did last year, there are a number of Under-20s exiting and lots of Under-17s going into the Under-20. It is a transition year so we looked at those factors,” she said.
“People like Tiana Bowen and Ramarco Thompson, you need to invest in them so that in one year’s time, they would be at the level where we expect them to get a medal at CARIFTA.
“It was a long process working through the selection criteria. It is not just about the standards, we also had a development outlook to select the team.”
Maynard said athletes like newcomer Mario Burke, who moved up to the Under-17 division, and Shakera Hall, who is now Under-20, really stepped up to the plate while Bowen was performing above the standard of legitimate Under-17s.
She also pointed to the performance of joint victrix ludorum Sonia Gaskin and throwers Janeil Craigg and Nicoliai Bovelle.
The other newcomers are hurdler Michael Nicholls and middle-distance runner Raheem Skinner.
Returning are several regular qualifiers, including the multi-talented Akela Jones; hurdlers Tramaine Maloney, Kion Joseph and Raphael Jordan; half-milers Jerrad Mason and John Haynes; jumper Charles Greaves; Tia-Adana Belle; throwers Tristan Whitehall and Romario Antoine as well as Sade-Mariah Greenidge and Leah Bannister, who are in their final year of competition.
Team Barbados: Jalisa Burrowes, Tia-Adana Belle, Tiana Bowen, Lisa-Anne Barrow, Danielle Scantlebury, Allana Ince, Akela Jones, Shakera Hall, Ariel Jackson, Sade-Mariah Greenidge, Sonia Gaskin, Leah Bannister, Mario Burke, Raheem Skinner, Ramarco Thompson, Ariko Small, Akeem McCollin, Michael Nicholls, Pius Emilien, Shaquille Alleyne, Deon Hope, Charles Greaves, Levi Cadogan, Janeil Craigg, Nicoliai Bovelle, Nikolai Gall, Tristan Whitehall, Romario Antoine, Raphael Jordan, Rhys Phillips, Tramaine Maloney, Jerrad Mason, Kion Joseph, John Haynes, Klode Thompson. Maureen Dottin (manager), Alwyn Babb (head coach), Ramon Armstrong (coach), Anthony “Palance” Williams (coach), Nikkisha Maynard (coach).