Still cant get over bahamas winning 3 gold and a bronze in the 100's .... we really have to ship up or get left behind .... we did not do too bad but we are slipping away here ...
Jai, honestly, how could you be surprise by the Baha peeps. After JA, is them, not TT. Theier women have won Olimpic gold. Our women have barely if ever made it to a final event. They have pedigree. We not slipping. We stagnant. B'dos are moving up and may pass us by. We need to dig deep in our pool to get more youngsters. As far as gov't and business involvement. Sigh!!!!!!!!!
I was a bit alarmed at the results for T&T at CARIFTA. Barbados is the big story for this CARIFTA games. I think this was probably their best performance at the games.
The ultimate difference in medal tally was that T&T slipped up (40 in 2010 and 30 in 2011) and JA slipped up just a little (72 in 2010 and 66 in 2011). This is where BAR and BAH and everyone else capitalized. I believe T&T had the most significant drop in medals, while BAR had the most significant increase.
I dont think BAH is fully ahead of T&T as yet, or ever will be. If you look at the Olympic and World Champs, we are still ahead of them in medal standings, but just barely. What separates T&T and BAH, is their program seems more holistic. Their medal tally from Olympic and World champs comes from more categories than T&T. Even their medal tally between women and men is much more equal. While T&T medal tally is disproportionate. All of T&T medals have come from the men except for the 1 by J Lucas.
However, you heard it from me first. T&T women will have a good 4x100 this year. They should finish in top 5 or maybe 6 if things go as plan. Only thing is they need to work on their exchanges.
T&T track and field has one similarity with T&T football. It lacks diversity,in a specialization/skill sense. For example lots of strikers, not enough midfield and defence. In track we have mainly 100m, and 200m athletes. Not enough 1/4 milers, or athletes in the more technical events (hurdles, long jump and field events).
Although, the CARIFTA games may have alarmed some of us, things are on pace for T&T to have a good World Champs.