Some of Bermuda’s best young athletes will be in action over this Easter weekend as the 36th annual Carifta Games gets underway today in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The 16-strong Bermuda team, coached once again by Gerry Swan, will have several athletes pushing hard for podium places, including former World Youth long jump champion Arantxa King, middle-distance runner Matthew Spring and talented Under-17 long and triple jumper Jasmine Brunson.

The US-based King will compete in the triple jump and long jump, having brought home a silver medal from the same Games in Guadeloupe last year.

King also won gold at the CAC Junior Games in 2006.

Another former Carifta medallist, Taijuan Talbot, who won 1500 metres gold in front of a home crowd at the National Sports Centre in 2004 and who is now studying in the US, will run in the Under-20 800 metres.

Ashley Berry will compete in the 3000 metres, fresh from breaking a national age group record in the event in a recent track meet at the National Sports Centre.

Brunson, meanwhile, will be making her Carifta Games debut, while sprinter Harold (Trey) Houston is tipped to do well in the Under-20 100 and 200 metres.

The team travelled with four officials — team manager Donna Watson, coach Gerry Swan and assistant coaches Devon Bean and Sonia Showers.

BTFA president Clarence Smith and director Carol Bassett are also accompanying the team.

The competition, billed as the biggest sporting event ever held in the Turks and Caicos, runs until Monday.

Jamaica will be seeking to become champions for the 23rd consecutive year, having finished atop the standings at last year’s event in Guadeloupe with 68 medals, which included 39 gold, 21 silver and eight bronze.

BERMUDA GAMES SQUAD

Under-17 girls: Alexis (Bean) Armstrong (1500m, 3000m), Taylor-Ashley Bean (1500m, 800m, 400m), Ashley Berry (1500m, 3000m), Tare Brangman (high jump), Jasmine Brunson (long jump and triple jump), Allison Outerbridge (high jump and triple jump), Jessica Richardson (200m, 400m, 100m).>

Under-17 boys:<$> Matthew Spring (800m, 1500m, 3000m), Darico Clarke (400m, 800m).

Under-20 gir$>: Arantxa K<$> (long jump and triple jump), Deanne Lightbourne (400m, 800m), Eulane Douglas (100m, 200m).

Under-20 b:<$> Harold (Trey) Houston (100m, 200m), Sean Trott (5000m), Taijaun Talbot (800m), Kijuan Wilkinson (high jump).