As the global athletics community prepares for the 2024 World Athletics Under-20 Championships, set to unfold from August 5 to 9 in Eugene, Oregon, Barbados is set to compete with what the head of its national governing body calls the most talented youth track and field delegation the island nation has ever sent to an international competition. The 16-member team departed Barbados earlier this week, and Amateur Athletics Association of Barbados (AAAB) president Noel Lynch has expressed high confidence that this cohort of young athletes has the skill and experience to compete for medals against the best junior competitors from around the globe. “Each athlete on this squad has already proven they can compete at the highest junior level, and they have already earned their place as world-class competitors,” Lynch said in remarks following the team’s sendoff. Lynch highlighted four standouts he believes are most likely to reach the podium, starting with shot putter Jayden Walcott. “Any young thrower who can put the shot over 20 meters is a lock for the final and a serious contender for a medal at any global junior championship, and that’s exactly what Jayden has done,” he explained. 400-meter runner Kadia Rock is another athlete Lynch expects to perform well. Rock enters the championships on a hot streak, capturing silver medals at both the 2024 CARIFTA Games and the NACAC Championships held earlier this year in Mexico. At the NACAC event, she ran a personal best 51.04 seconds in the 400m – a time that while achieved at high altitude, still puts her in medal contention in Oregon. Sprinter Jayden Green, who competes in the 200-meter, has also earned high praise from Lynch, after clocking back-to-back personal best times at the Barbados Grand Prix and the NACAC Championships. The AAAB president also singled out Shamari Greenidge-Lewis, who anchored the Barbados under-20 4x400m relay team to a new meet record and gold medal at this year’s CARIFTA Games in Grenada. Greenidge-Lewis ran 46.35 seconds for the open 400m at Mexico’s high-altitude NACAC event, and his personal best sits at 46.2 seconds. Lynch notes that the young runner has the potential to break the 46-second barrier under the right conditions in Oregon. One of the most high-profile additions to this year’s squad is Amir Thompson, a promising young sprinter based in the United States and the son of two Olympic medalists: Barbados’ own Obadele Thompson and American sprint legend Marion Jones. Lynch called Thompson’s decision to represent his father’s home country a major win for Barbados athletics. “He’s run a wind-assisted 9.95 seconds in the 100m, and his personal best for 200m is 20.37 seconds. Having someone of his caliber choose to compete for Barbados is a huge deal for our program,” Lynch said. Thompson is not the only US-born athlete on the squad; he will be joined by Taylor Foster, a young female hurdler who ranks first among junior hurdlers in New York State and among the top five in the entire United States for the 100m hurdles. Distance runner Ashlyn Simmons, who has won multiple CARIFTA Games medals in middle distance events, is another young competitor Lynch expects to turn heads in Eugene, noting that she still has massive untapped potential. After reviewing the form of every athlete on the squad and analyzing the global competition field, Lynch says he is confident Barbados will leave Oregon with no fewer than five medals. Beyond the World Under-20 Championships, Lynch also previewed upcoming performances for Barbadian athletes at the upcoming CAC Games and Commonwealth Games, highlighting defending Commonwealth 400m champion and national record holder Sada Williams. “I think she is going to do incredibly well in Birmingham,” Lynch said, noting that while Williams recently lost her long-time coach Stephen Francis, she has maintained excellent form and is on track to defend her title. Lynch went so far as to call Williams the greatest female athlete to ever come out of Barbados’ athletics program. Lynch also used the interview as an opportunity to pay tribute to Barbadian sports icon The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers, who passed away on July 17. Sobers, widely considered one of the greatest cricket players of all time, left a legacy that extends far beyond the pitch to inspire all Barbadian athletes across every sport, Lynch said. “Sir Garfield set a standard of excellence that every young Barbadian athlete, no matter what sport they play, can aspire to. He proved that even from our small 166-square-mile island, you can reach the very top of global sports,” Lynch added. Full Roster of the 2024 Barbados World Under-20 Athletics Team: Female athletes: Alika Harewood, Aniya Nurse, Ariel Archer, Ashlyn Simmons, Kadia Rock, Nyah Clarke, Taylor Foster Male athletes: Aidan Moore, Amir Thompson, Jahkye Brewster, Jayden Green, Jayden Walcott, Nadal Seale, Rashad Gibson, Shamari Greenidge-Lewis, Zachary Wall Management team: Rene Layne (Team Manager), Ramon Armstrong (Head Coach), Alywn Babb (Coach), Shonelle Trotman (Sports Therapist)
Promising 16-member team to represent Barbados at World Athletics Under 20 Championships
