St. Kitts confirmed as venue for 2008 Carifta, as "Provo" (short for the town of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands) confirmed that indeed "small is beautiful".  The 2007 edition of the Games were held in one of the smallest Members of the IAAF family (a population of merely 27,000) where over 500 athletes and accompanying officials from 26 countries made their annual trek to hold the region’s Easter weekend junior track and field meeting.

At the Carifta Congress, held during the break in the second day of competition, an impressive delegation from St. Kitts and Nevis,  representing the Association and the island’s government, reiterated their commitment to hosting the following year’s event in a stadium that will be built over the next 12 months featuring a full fledged Mondo surfaced running track.

At the same meeting, three Members – namely Bahamas, Cayman Islands and St. Lucia -- indicated interest in hosting the 2009 Games and were granted 30 days within which to submit their formal letter of interest accompanied by a statement of government support, to the NACAC headquarters.

IAAF President Lamine Diack, attending his second Carifta Games, congratulated the Members for the unique and outstanding contribution that they are making to the development of Athletics amongst the youth enrolled in their respective school systems as manifested by this event.  He received a warm round of applause upon being introduced by IAAF VP Amadeo Francis as the “unchallenged leader of our world-wide movement for the next four years”.

Games sponsors Guardian Holdings, Ltd. and The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago were both recognized for their continuing generous financial support of the Games.

Among the dignitaries present in Providenciales for the Games were Olympic champions Hasely Crawford (100 m in 1976), Tonique Williams- Darling (400 m in 2006) and Pauline Davis (200 and 4x100 in 2000) as well as Ato Bolden (100 and 200 m medallist in 1996 and 2000).

Meanwhile on the track, Jamaica continued its march  to its 24th team title in the history of the Games, as its athletes overwhelmed the competitors from the other participating islands, with a record medal total of 76 awards including 36 gold, 28 silver and 12 bronze.

Jamaica was followed by Trinidad and Tobago with 37 medals, including seven golds; Barbados, third with 21 (7 gold); Bahamas fourth with 19 (7); followed by Martinique with 12 (3); St. Lucia, Grenada and British Virgin Islands, with three each (2, 2 and 1 gold respectively).  Eleven other countries also medalled.

Jamaican speedster Yohan Blake was recognized as the meet’s outstanding performer for his 10.11 win in the 100 meters and awarded the Austin Sealy trophy.

Not enough can be said about the leadership displayed by TKS Association president Rita Gardner and Minister with responsibility for the Carifta Games, Hon. Dr. Lillian Boyce, who so successfully marshalled the interest and resources of this relatively small territory’s community to produce an international track and field championship that will long be recalled as one of the best Carifta Games ever held. 

A detailed account of the Games is available on the IAAF website at www.iaaf.org/news for each of the three days of the meet.  For detailed  results go to www.cpfitiming.com.  Click on 2003 Outdoor Season and then access Carifta Games, 2007.