Sports

National Senior Games Slated For May 5 – 20

The 20th Edition of the National Senior Games will be held from May 5 to 20, with the finals of the track and field events taking place at the Usain Bolt Complex, on May 18,19, and 20.

This was revealed today by Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, as he addressed a press conference at Vauxhall Senior Citizens’ Village, Vauxhall, Christ Church.

Mr. Humphrey, in encouraging the athletes and the general public to support the Games, called for “new athletes” to participate and continue the tradition.

He said: “I want some new, not necessarily young, but new faces to come to the Games and participate and to get the level of fitness eventually… and just to maintain healthy ageing.”

The Minister noted that Barbados has one of the oldest populations in the world, and the results of the last census show that for every person over 65, there was one in five people and for those over 60, there was one in four persons in the country.

Mr. Humphrey continued: “That’s a very old population. If you look at the trajectory, unchecked, in the next few years, the average Barbadian will be almost 60. So, we have to be careful in terms of how we plan Barbados. We have to make sure that we have events for seniors to be able do…. This is about active ageing; it is also about us finding ways for older people to continue to work, older people to be part of the economy. I think you should be marketing products to older people. It makes no sense not to do it since our population is ageing. So, I want to encourage Barbadians, particularly older Barbadians to get involved.”

The 2024 Games will comprise 19 disciplines, up from 13 last year, and three persons will be honoured in the same vein that Victor Young; Hamilton Lashley, and Kathy Harper-Hall were recognised in 2023, at the start of the Games.

It is also anticipated that a programme documenting the “Road To Senior Games” will be televised over the next eight weeks, on CBC-TV8.

Mr. Humphrey, while pointing out that the Ministry would be honouring some of the senior athletes who participated in the Games over the last 20 years or so, said: “We have to capture a lot of what we are losing – when some of the older people begin to talk, the things that they tell you; the things that many young people never even heard [about] and things that make a lot of sense because they carry knowledge…. We have to be in a position to respect our seniors who have made a significant contribution to Barbados.”

Meanwhile, Coordinator of the National Senior Games, Jasper Blades, in outlining “the bigger and better Games”, said the new additions are motor sports, badminton, cricket, football, volleyball (both beach and court) and bodybuilding.

Pointing out there was potential for other sports to come on board, he said the Ministry had also engaged the services of a technical advisor to aid in the preparation and development of these sports and would be adding an aspect called “The Face of the Sports” this year, which will showcase senior athletes and their associated sport. (PR/GIS)

Sports

BARBADOS WINS CWI RISING STARS UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP

by David Harris

Defending champions Barbados defeated Guyana by 44 runs to retain their title in Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars Under-19 Championship at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua on Wednesday.

Needing to avoid defeat in their fifth and final match of the tournament to clinch the title, the Barbadian lads scored 209 for eight wickets, before bowling out Guyana for 160 in 45.3 overs.

Barbados were wobbling at 71 for four wickets, after winning the toss and opting to bat. Captain Justin Parris made an attractive 38 runs from 40 balls, the left-handed batsman struck five fours, but his dismissal in the sixteenth over left Barbados in a precarious position. Seth Smith (47) and Rajeev Parsooram (21) repaired the early damage with a crucial fifth-wicket partnership of 61 runs, before Parsooram was dismissed by left-arm pacer Brandon Henry.

After Parsooram’s wicket fell; Smith added 40 vital runs for the sixth wicket with Yuvraj Persaud who made 19, Smith’s rearguard inning ended innings ended when he was dismissed by Henry in the 43rd over, the wicketkeeper/ batsman faced 75 balls and counted four boundaries. Asher Brandford 18 and Zarell Harding 15 not out ensured that Barbados posted a total over 200 runs.

Medium pacer Reyaz Laif took three wickets for 34 runs, he was supported by fast bowler Usain Fredericks two wickets for 53 runs,, and Henry who picked up two wickets for 24 runs.

Chasing 210 for victory, Guyana slumped to 55 for five wickets in the 17^th over as the Bajan bowlers took early wickets; but a defiant knock of 50 runs from Henry briefly give the Guyanese hope. Henry faced 88 balls and lead a lower resistance that saw Guyana to 156 for eight wickets before he was bowled by Parsooram. After Henry was dismissed Guyana’s innings ended quickly.

Brandford captured three wickets for 19 runs with his medium pace; he was supported by fellow medium pacers Joshua Thomas and Parsooram with two wickets for 35 runs and 19 runs respectively, while Parris picked up two wickets with his leg-spin.

Sports

JAYDEN WINS GOLD AT CARIFTA GAMES

by David Harris

Jayden Green captured Barbados’ lone gold medal at the 52nd CARIFTA Games which ended at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Mucrapo, Trinidad on Monday night. The 17-year-old student of the Christ Church Foundation School won the Under-20 Boys’ 200 metres at the three -day track and field meeting in 20,93 seconds ahead of Jamaicans Tyreece Foreman (20.95) and Junior Galimore (21.01); Green is the first Barbadian to win the event since Mario Burke in 2015.

The rest of team collected five silver and eight bronze medals with several athletes recording personal best. Barbados won 14 medals at the games, their best performance since the 2016 Games in Grenada where they won 20 medals.

Sports

GET READY FOR THE NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES

Calendar lists all the events from May to September 2025

NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES field events will begin on Saturday, May 31, at Queen’s College, Husbands, St. James, while the road races, involving running, cycling, walking, and skating, will take place on Sunday, June 1, on the Mighty Grynner Highway. Monday, June 9, will see the culmination of the track events at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex.