Bermuda Track and Field Association chief Donna Watson is expecting big things from the Island's athletes at the NACAC Cross-Country Championships in Tobago in March.

A team of five juniors and two seniors will travel to the Caribbean island for the competition which takes place on March 6, and will serve as a testing warm-up for the Carifta Games in Cayman Islands later this year.

And Watson is expecting senior team members Sean Trott and Jay Donawa to lead from the front. However, they will have to compete without top athlete Lamont Marshall. The 25-year-old was invited to be a member of the team but declined due to 'other commitments'.

"We don't really know what those commitments were," said Watson, "but we respect his decision.

"We would have liked to have had a full senior men's team as this event is a team event and your place is based on the placings of your athletes, but we are expecting Jay (Donawa) to improve on his performance from last year and I believe with Sean (Trott) there it will push him more."

Trott has enjoyed a successful past 12 months, placing fifth in last year's May 24th Marathon Derby and setting a new junior division record in the process with his time of one hour,16 minutes and 47 seconds.

And last month he was the first local to finish in the International Race Weekend 10K race.

"I think Sean will perform very well at this event as he has had a very good cross-country season and a great International Race Weekend," said Watson. "He had a great track season last year and we expect him to have another great season going forward.

"Of course, Sean was not able to compete in our local cross-country events as he is in school overseas but he is one of our top athletes and has performed very well this season in his cross-country."

The junior team, which includes the likes of Trey Simons and Dage Minors, is just as strong as their senior counterparts, and Watson said she was 'very excited' about their potential.

"All of these athletes are capable of performing at this level and they all have," said Watson. "With Trey placing second and third in the 1500 metres and 3000 metres at Carifta last year, of course we have great expectations from him."

And while the team will compete with one eye on the Carifta Games, Watson expects them to be fully focused on the immediate challenge of winning in Tobago.

"We, of course, are using this a Carifta preparation but expect them to perform at the highest level as this will be a test for them," she said, "and will let us see where they are in comparison to their Carifta competition.

"This will be a good experience for them as most of them will probably be competing against some of the athletes who they will compete against in Carifta."

Bermuda squad:

Junior male team – Trey Simons, Juma Mouchette, Kameron Creighton, Dage Minors, Shawn Herman.

Senior male team – Sean Trott, Jay Donawa.

n Taylor Ashley Bean did not qualify for the CAC Games, as noted in yesterday's paper. She only made the Carifta 'B' standard in the 1500 metres.