The Bermuda Pacers Track Club will mark their 33rd appearance at the Russell E Blunt East Coast Invitational Track Meet in North Carolina this weekend by taking a team of 32 athletes to the annual meet.

Last year the team brought back 31 medals, including 12 gold, nine silver and ten, as they finished in the top five for the third straight year. The event has been hosted by the Durham Stride Track Club for the last 14 years and will be held at the Durham Country Memorial Stadium from Friday to Sunday.

Last year, up and coming high jumper Elisha Darrell captured the 13-14 boys’ outstanding Age Group title and the Pacers 9-10 girls’ team won their division. This year the 32 athletes will compete in 72 individual events and there will also be four Pacers relay teams in the 4?x?400 metres.

“We would have had 33 athletes for the 33rd year, but one girl, Carol Anne Campbell, got hit by a bike on her way to training and broke her leg,” said, Cal Simons, a club official, ahead of the team’s departure today.

Leading this year’s team will be Carifta athletes Taahira Butterfield, Sakari Famous and David Darrell. Butterfield will compete in the 17-18 girls’ 100 and 200, Famous the 13-14 girls’ high jump and Darrell in the 15-16 boys 800 and 1,500.

The club will also be sending a full contingent of athletes in the 13-14 girls, 11-12 girls and 9-10 girls’ divisions. Competing in the 13-14 girls’ will be Syriah Lottimore, (200, 400 and long jump) Zariah Simmons (200 and 400), Zekiah Lewis, (100, high jump and long jump), Mikaela Outerbridge (800 and 1,500) and Zye Simmons in the 100 and 200 as she makes her first appearance at the event.

In the 11-12 girls’ division, the team will have Koa Goodchild (400 and long jump), Tyler Hines (200 and 400), Selah Tuzo (800 and 1,500), Danni Watson (100 and 200), Noaah Powell (100 and 200), Makayla Tucker (400 and long jump), Kayla Raymond (400 and 800) and Corriah Simmons in the 100 and 200.

They will all be making their first appearances at the event.

In the 9-10 girls’ division, the team will consist on Jade Johnson (800 and 1500), Jahstice Grant (100 and 200), Asia-Leigh Hollis (100 and long jump), Sanaa Rae Morris 100, 200 and long jump), Yasmyne Smith (800 and 1,500) and Tes’yah-Mahle Astwood (400 and 800) who will be competing in this event for the first time. All three of the girls’ teams will compete in the 4?x?400 relay events.

In the 9-10 boys’ division, the team will consist of Niyan Outerbridge who will be competing in the 100, 200 and long jump and Kahzi Sealy in the 800 and the 1500 where he captured a bronze medal in last year’s event.

In the 11-12 boys’ category Jayden Furbert-Jacobs and Clevonte Lodge Bean will compete in the 100, 200 and 400, Ryan Outerbridge the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 and Samuel Darrell in the high jump and long jump.

The 13-14 boys’ division consists of the top middle distance runners on the island, Jayden Ming (800, 1,500, and 3,000) and Aaron Jacobs (400, 800 and 1,500), both who won medals at last year’s event, while Malik Joell who will be making his debut appearance in the 1,500 and 3,000.

The team leaves this afternoon and accompanying the youngsters will be members of the Pacers executive, coaches, parents and family members.

“The athletes have worked hard all year and I’m expecting them to do well,” said Simons, one of the coaches. “I’m thinking people like Sakari Famous, who medalled last year, Elijah Darrell, Aaron Jacobs, some of the older athletes, should do extremely well.

“Sakari is at the top of the girls 13-14 high jump and has already jumped 1.71 and the record is 1.74, while Aaron is running really well in the 1,500 and has already run faster than the winning time last year. Taahira Butterfield has recovered from her injuries.

“We’re taking a number of kids who are going for the first time and it should be an eye-opening experience for them. My hope is they take a lot of positives from it and come home and look to build on their experiences.”

Added Simons: “The ones who have been before are raring to go, and the ones going for the first time there is that little excitement. We have at least ten coaches and chaperones going and a number of parents so we might end up with a party of about 60 people.”