Belize Athletic Association selects 5 athletes for 50th Carifta Games in the Bahamas on April 8-10

Photo Credit: BAA

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The Belize Athletic Association (BAA) on Wednesday selected five athletes for 50^th Carifta Games to be hosted by the Bahamas on April 8-10.

The athletes were confirmed to Carifta on Wednesday night during a virtual meeting by BAA General Secretary Harrison Pilgrim and Public Relations Officer Gregory Meyers.

The team consists of:

U20 Boys

Andre Armstrong: 1500m, 5000m

Daniel Meyers: 800m, 1500m, 5000m

Joas Mejia: Long Jump, Triple Jump

U17 Boys

Demetrie Meyers: 800m, 1500m, 3000m

U17 Girls

Mallory Meyers: 800m, 1500m, 3000m

The BAA had also selected Mia Sylvester of the University of Idaho and Kali Magana of Louisiana, but they are unable to attend due to conflicting circumstances.

The BAA said the athletes will be accompanied by Pilgrim, Meyers, who will double as head coach, and Coach/Executive Member Alvin Tillett.

The BAA released the following information about the athletes.

“Daniel, Demetrie, and Mallory Meyers all reside in Haverford, Pennsylvania, with their father, Gregory Meyers. Greg has been their coach throughout their spectacular running careers. All three Meyers siblings competed in the 2022 Carifta games in Jamaica. The Meyers family team also participated in the May 2022 BAA National Championship at the Marion Jones Stadium in Belize City.

Demetrie Meyers (Photo Credit: BAA)

“Demetrie Meyers is a perennial Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) all American and multiple- time USA national champion. He currently is US #3 High School freshman at 3000m. He is the returning silver medalist in the 3000m at the 2022 Carifta Games in Jamaica and will be looking to better that performance and bring home Belize’s first Carifta Gold medal. His current personal record for 3000m is 9:07 and he is enviously eying the Carifta record at that distance (8:46.49) set by Kemoy Campbell of Jamaica. Demetri will also be competing in the 1500m and 800m.

Daniel Meyers (Photo Credit: BAA)

“Daniel Meyers is a perennial Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) all American and a Nike indoor high school all American. He will be competing in the 800m,1500m and 5000m. Daniel has run 1:59.00 for 800m, 4:06.50 for 1500m, and 15:45 for 5000m which will become the Carifta U18 record if he repeats it.

Mallory Meyers (Photo Credit: BAA)

“Mallory Meyers will be competing in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m. Last year in Jamaica she was 4th at this distance. Since then, Mallory has improved all her PR’s this indoor season and is ranked in the top 10 in all three events for 8th graders in the USA. Currently her personal records (PR’s) are 2:24 for 800m 4:58.4 for 1500m and 10:53 for 3000m all which would have made the final or medaled at last year’s Carifta Games. Mallory in the years coming will be looking also to rewrite many of the Carifta Games records as they are all within her reach.

Andre Armstrong (Photo Credit: BAA)

“Andre Armstrong of Belize City is currently on scholarship in Jamaica at world Renown St. Jago High School. This will be Andres’ first Carifta Games. At meets in Jamaica this year he has run 17:35 for 5000m and is looking to improve on that time at Carifta. He will compete in the 1500m and 5000m.

Joas Mejia (Photo Credit: BAA)

“Joas Mejia of Punta Gorda born in Honduras was brought, a babe in arms to Punta Gorda where he has grown up and been educated. He recalls being athletic from Primary School days and blossomed while he attended Julian Cho High School in the South of Belize.  During high school he ran all the sprints up to 800m. But it was the field events, where Joas dominated.  Joas competed in the long, triple and high jumps. In 2019 he placed 2nd in high jump at the Regional Secondary Schools Championship held in El Salvador. Joas really burst onto the National and Regional track and field landscape in 2022, placing 2nd in the triple jump and first in long jump at the annual Central American Senior Champs in Nicaragua. His personal bests are 14.7m in triple and 6.81m in the long jump, both of which are records he hopes to better in this first appearance at the Carifta Games.”