Olympian Tyrone Smith has backed the local contingent competing in the Carifta Games to produce the goods when they take on their Caribbean counterparts in the annual spectacle.Smith, who didn’t compete in any of the Games when he was eligible, believes Team Bermuda have what it takes to more than hold their own at the National Sports Centre (NSC) when competition begins on Saturday.“I was already 21 when the Games came around and I was a late bloomer but the Games are an excellent opportunity for the athletes to gain valuable experience,” said Smith.”I know a lot of my international colleagues from the Caribbean have competed in the Games and speak highly of it, there is a camaraderie among them regardless of their nationality.“They are getting international experience at a young age and it’s vital for them to get this exposure now that will set them up for the bigger pond once they leave Carifta.”The 27-year-old, who will compete in the summer’s Olympic Games in London, is a firm believer of home field advantage and is confident the 55-strong squad will be able to snare several medals during the three-day event.“It’s a funny thing but in sports, regardless what sport you are talking about, everyone performs better at home. The confines are comfortable, you don’t have to worry about a bus or eating meal times and so forth, so they should have an advantage, especially with the weather,” he said.“It’s what you know about the track and the elements that you are involved in that could be the difference between not making the final to winning gold.“No one should be able to walk on your home turf and walk over you, you have trained for one moment in time and this is your time to produce, so they should be prepared to do a good job.”The two-time and current Male Athlete of the Year is also encouraged by how the Carifta hopefuls are performing in the build-up to the Games, most notably middle distance runner Taylor-Ashley Bean.“Besides being a track athlete, I’m also a big fan and I read a lot about the sport and athletes in the sport, and I have seen some Bermudians put in solid performances and actually met some of the younger ones,” he said.“It was good to see Taylor put in a good performance last week given that the indoor and outdoor season are starting to interchange between each other.“She is doing well at the moment and it’s exciting to see that she is hitting her stride as well as some of our jumpers so I will definitely be rooting for them.”The Carifta Games opening ceremony will be held on Friday at the National Sports Centre from 6pm.