Triumphant team returns to the Island
Bermuda’s Carifta Games track and field team returned home to a rousing reception last night after winning five medals in Bahamas over the Easter weekend.Middle distance runner Kyrah Scraders was the centre of the celebrations as family members and friends brought balloons and gifts and waved signs to celebrate her double medal success ... gold in the 800 metres after a personal best time of 2:11.62 and silver in the 1500 metres after her time of 4:39.43 set a new Bermuda record.On each occasion Scraders battled with Guyana’s Cassey George for the gold, losing out in the 1500 metres before gaining revenge in the 800 metres when Bermuda’s Junior Female Athlete of the Year won her fourth medal overall in Carifta and first gold to go with three medals in the 1500 metres — a bronze (2011) and a silver last year.“In the 1500 I just got tired because we were going around real fast, but in the 800 I knew what I had to do,” said Scraders who is living up to the nickname ‘Special K’ given to her a few years ago by Pacers coach Cal Simons.“I’m excited (to finally win the gold),” said the soft-spoken athlete. “I just go out there and try to do my best. It was hard because there were new runners coming into the category and I didn’t know how they would run.”Scraders, who turns 16 in July, can look forward to three more years of Carifta participation and possibly even more medals. She will be in the younger age group for another year as a result of the organisers changing the age group to Under 18.Acting Sports Minister Leah Scott and PLP Senator Minister Diallo Rabain were on hand last night to welcome back the athletes, Ms Scott standing in for Minister Wayne Scott who is in Jamaica with the Carifta swimming team.“You guys have done extremely well,” she told the team before singling out medal winners Scraders, Sakari Famous, just 13 and a silver medal winner in the high jump, Zakiyyah Showers in the under 17 3,000 metres and Juma Mouchette who took the bronze in the under 20 5,000 metres.“We celebrate you for your outstanding achievements, we are proud of you, we honour you and we say congratulations athletes.”Bermuda National Athletic Association president Donna Watson praised the 150 spectators who travelled to the Games on the Miami Air charter and provided tremendous support for the athletes.“There were over 150 athletes there and believe me when our athletes participated they knew they had the support behind them,” said Watson. “Those Gombeys, when Juma was running the 5,000 and Daniel (Oatley) the 3,000 and Zakiyyah the 3,000, those drums were beating the entire way for them and we say thank you very much for your support.“I say congratulation to every one of my athletes who performed with personal bests and medals.”