Trinidad and Tobago head coach Wendell Williams has praised the growth of the country's athletics programme following a strong showing at the 52nd CARIFTA Games, hosted at home in Trinidad and Tobago this past weekend. The national team closed the championships with nine gold, six silver, and 10 bronze medals — a tally that earned them third place on the overall medal table behind Jamaica and The Bahamas.

Leading the charge were several standout athletes in the field and middle-distance events, which Williams had identified as key areas of focus heading into the meet. Among the performances that stood out was that of Kenisha Shelbourne, who captured gold in the U20 Girls triple jump after returning from injury just weeks before the championships.

Kenisha Shelbourne

“Kenisha was injured four weeks ago and had only just resumed training,” Williams revealed. “She came to CARIFTA and set five personal bests during the competition to win gold. That just shows you — being down doesn’t mean you’re out. She showed up and showed out.”

Also making headlines were Gianna Paul and Janae DeGannes, who delivered a dominant 1-2 finish in the U20 Girls long jump. Paul soared to 6.48m, just two centimetres shy of the CARIFTA record of 6.50m set by DeGannes in 2024. It was a spectacular result for the host nation, underlining the depth and continuity of talent in the horizontal jumps.

Gianna Paul

“We’ve made huge strides in the jumps, and what you saw in the long jump final with Gianna and Janae is exactly the kind of development we’ve been working toward,” said Williams.

That success is no accident. Williams, a former national long jumper himself, has been instrumental in spearheading a long-term jumps development programme, working alongside Coach Michelle Penny, who specializes in the vertical jumps. The two have partnered for over 15 years, and the results are now being seen at the regional level.

“This was years in the making,” Williams said. “We’ve been putting in the work, and it’s finally bearing fruit.”

The middle-distance athletes also had a breakout meet, led by Christopher Sammy, who swept the 1500m and 3000m with clinical displays. Sammy, who trains under Coach Derek Simon, brought a confident, tactical approach to every race — even predicting he and his teammate would finish one-two in the 5000m. They did exactly that.

Christopher Sammy (right) and teammate Armani Dillion

“It was my first time meeting him, and you could tell he was locked in. Very focused, very clear in what he wanted to do,” Williams said. “And he delivered every time.”

Williams credited much of the team’s success to the club coaches, especially those like Coach Simon and Coach Colin Parry, who contributed significantly to the middle- and long-distance events.

“Every athlete on this team met the qualifying standard, and that’s something we haven’t seen in years — maybe ever,” Williams noted. “That speaks to the quality of work being done at the grassroots level.”

There was also success in the multis, where Tyrique and Tenique Vincent both medalled in the U20 decathlon and heptathlon, respectively. “They both train in my group, and their development has been remarkable,” said Williams. “Tenique draws inspiration from her brother. It’s a sporting family — their older sibling even plays for the West Indies rugby team.”

Tenique Vincent

Although the team fell just short of their overall target of surpassing the 27 medals won in 2024, Williams was encouraged by the five additional gold medals they managed to secure this year.

“We’re definitely on an upward rise,” he said. “But I want us to raise the national standards. The athletes who met or exceeded the higher benchmarks were the ones who medalled. CARIFTA is no longer just a development meet — it’s high-level competition, and we need to treat it that way.”

With Grenada confirmed as host of CARIFTA 2026, Williams has already shifted focus to the upcoming Pan Am U20 Championships, where several of this year’s medal winners, including the Vincent twins, have already achieved qualifying marks.

“We can’t wait until the last minute. We have good relay prospects, and we need to get them training now,” he said. “The potential is there — we just have to stay committed.”

After a successful home Games and a new wave of talent shining in key disciplines

After a successful home Games and a new wave of talent shining in key disciplines, Trinidad and Tobago’s track and field future looks bright. As Williams put it, “The foundation is there. Now it’s time to build even stronger.”