For the first time, Barbados will have a female head coach for the CARIFTA Games, to be held this year in Grenada.
Noel Lynch, president of the Athletics Association of Barbados, last night at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex, announced Desirée Gamble would head the team. Gamble, née Crichlow, is a former CARIFTA Games and Central American and Caribbean medallist and local record holder.
She has been an assistant coach for several years now, but has a strong support system, including Alwyn Babb, Bryan Holder and Ramon Armstrong, all former head coaches.
Lynch used the opportunity, the conclusion of the National Junior Championships, to tout the success of the programme put in place after the last CARIFTA Games and the coaches behind it.
“The National Junior Development Programme is not perfect, but in our opinion, it’s bearing fruit. Up to now, without including all of the events completed, we have 45 qualifiers for the Carifta Games. I don’t think we’ve ever entered a Carifta Games without so many qualifiers, but the person who is the technical director of this effort, the National Junior Programme, is Mr Gabriel Burnett, please give him a round of applause.
“And then we come here every day, . . . we big up the athletes, we big up everybody, but the people who really do the work every evening, every morning, they don’t get a chance to be showcased.”
The other members of the management team are Angela Jackson (manager), coaches Armstrong (throws), Althea Belgrave (distance), Jarad Murray (jumps), former Austin Sealy winner Kierre Beckles (sprints and hurdles) as well as Babb and Holder to assist with sprints and relays.
The 2026 CARIFTA Games will run from April 4 to 6 at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium. (SAT)
