KIRANI JAMES LEADS GRENADA'S CARIFTA TEAM
www.mikebas.blogspot.com

ST. GEORGE, March 15, 2008 -- World Youth silver medalist Kirani James is leading an 18-member Grenada team for the Junior CARIFTA Games in St. Kitts, March 21-24.

The Grenada Athletic Association (GAA) announced the final team following the Inter-Collegiate Track and Field Championships at the National Stadium this week.

James is expected to lead Grenada’s charge at the Games where he defends his 400 metres title in the Boys’ Under-17 division.

The 15 year-old has already sent a message of his intention to break Jamaican Usain Bolt’s 400m Games’ record of 47.33 seconds.  James ran 46.96 secs to finish second in last year’s 5th IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Other medal hopefuls are Shakir Simmons in the boys’ Under-20 Shot Put, who has improved this year, and is highly favoured to medal; and Wendell Modeste in the Heptathlon, who should keep the island’s rich tradition in this event alive.

Grenada has won the Heptathlon five times in the last seven years.

Both Emron Gibbs and Carron Isaac should regain Grenada’s dominance in the boys’ Under-17 Javelin.

In the girls’ division, medal hopes rest on the performances of Colleen Felix in the Pentathlon and Javelin events and Antonia Wilson in the 3000 metres.

Team officials believe the team could win a total of 15 medals, its best chances since 2002 when Grenada won 22 medals in the Bahamas.

The team, which leaves here on March 18 for Basseterre, will be accompanied by Denise Williams as manager and Albert Joseph and Kerlon Peters as coaches.