Bermuda national track and field coach Gerry Swan, who left with the team early on Tuesday morning, is enthusiastic about their chances and claimed that it would be no surprise if they bettered their previous performance in Martinique.

"It's very possible we can do better than we did last year which was a real good effort,'' said Swan.

"I wouldn't be surprised if our athletes can offer a good challenge once again. They have all worked very hard and are in good shape to challenge in each of the events.'' Competition starts on Saturday morning with Bermuda's Steven Woodley first seeing action in the boys' under-20 high jump.

The team, who consist of five female and eight male athletes, will be headed by the experienced Woodley who will be participating for an unprecedented fourth time.

Woodley is also by far the most successful athlete Bermuda has had at CARIFTA in recent years having won a total of five medals in three meets.

Woodley will also be competing in triple jump and is expected to do well in both events.

Last year was the first time he competed in the older group and showed his prowess by winning a silver medal in the high jump.

Other male members are Mike Donawa (1,500m, 5,000m), Damien Simmons (400m, 200m), Donte Hunt (100m, triple jump), Atiba Tucker (100m, 200m), Keivon Richardson (200m, 400m), Sharif Taylor (400m, 800m) and Aaron Bean (long jump, javelin).

The male group would have been bigger had not Devon Bean, Collin Anderson and Nakia Pearson been ruled out through injury.

Bermuda will also be represented in the boys' under-20 4x100 metres relay by Bean, Hunt, Tucker and Richardson.

Heading the females is Vernae Ingham who came away with a bronze medal in the 1,500 metres last year. She will compete in both the 1,500m and 800m this year.

Other members are Jarita Dill (400m, 800m), Gina Cann (100m, 200m), Tami Ray (shot, discus) and Velvet Smith (1,500m, 3,000m).

Dill, Ingham, Cann and Smith will each compete in the under-17 age group with Cann making her debut in CARIFTA at 14.

The youngest member of the team is Velvet Smith who is just 12 years old and competing for the second time.

Last year she did not do that well in Martinique, but Swan is hoping that with the experience she will be more prepared for the stiff competition this time around.

Smith, winner of this year's Bank of Butterfield Front Street Mile for the Primary School girls, is a student at the Bermuda Institute and is looking forward to the challenge this weekend.

"I'm excited and hope to do better than I did in Martinique last year,'' she said.

"I have been training hard since January and think I am in better shape this time. Last year I ran both the 800 and 1,500, but this time I will definitely compete in the 1,500, which is my strongest event and maybe run in the longer 3,000 metres race as well.'' The three-day event will start on Saturday and finish on Monday with the team expected to return home on Tuesday evening.

BERMUDA HOPEFULS -- Bermuda's CARIFTA Games team who left for Barbados this week. Standing, from left: Atiba Tucker, Aaron Bean, Mike Donawa, coach Gerry Swan, Sharif Taylor, Damien Simmons, Stephen Woodley. Kneeling, from left: Vernae Ingham, Jarita Dill, Donte Hunt, Gina Cann, Velvet Smith.