National pride will be at stake for a team of Bermudian athletes preparing to compete against some of the world's elite performers at the Island Games in New York.

Billed as the "Caribbean versus USA", the 2nd Annual Island Games promises to be a mouth-watering prospect with Bermuda's representatives hoping to shatter at least one national record at Sunday's meet.

Athletes of all ages from Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Antigua, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, and throughout the USA will be gunning for glory at the event, held at the Mitchel Athletic Complex, in Uniondale. The USA Track and Field sanctioned games will feature high school, open, masters and youth events.

Representing Bermuda will be eight of the finest athletes the island has to offer and Bill Euler, coach of Mid-Island Striders Athletics, is confident they can hold their own against competitors in the ilk of Jamaica's Yohan Blake and Ramone McKenzie.

"These athletes are among the best Bermuda possess and it will be a good opportunity for them to test themselves against strong competition," he said.

"We were hoping to take a larger team but a couple of guys have been forced to pull out due to injury.

"But the athletes we are taking are all ranked athletes in Bermuda and Brandon Sousa, making his overseas debut, is fresh from his success at the Onion Series."

Siblings Akilah and Arantxa King, who are based at colleges in the United States, will also be joining up with the travelling team to compete at the meet.

Last year saw Arantxa, who holds the Bermuda national record in the long jump, become the top high school female jumper in the United States, while her sister Akilah will be striving to qualify for this summer's Pan-Am Games, Brazil, in the 200m.

Another hoping to book a place at the games in Rio will be fellow long jumper Shianne Smith, who equalled her personal best in the long jump at the National Track and Field Championships last weekend.

"I expect the team to do well and it will be a good test with some top athletes from strong clubs competing," added Euler.

"It's important our athletes compete abroad as they will not improve if they just perform against the same Bermudian guys over and over again."

Euler, who will also be competing in the long jump, believes the women's 4x400 relay team could break the national record in New York. He had hoped they would achieve the accolade at the National Track and Field Championships but two of the foursome were unable to compete.

A team of budding Bermudian athletes are also hoping to do their Island proud when they take on competitors from a host of other countries at an athletics meet in Miami starting today(FRI).

Former Bermudian track star Donna Watson has accompanied the group of talented youngsters to the United States for the 32nd Annual Miami Northwest Track & Field Classic>

Athletes to compete in New York meet