An 18-member Bermuda squad left the Island yesterday to compete in the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Track and Field Championships in Mexico from June 25 to 27.

The Island?s team includes seven Under-17 male athletes, five Under-17 female athletes, four Under-20 female athletes and two Under-20 male athletes.

Fourteen of those bound for CAC represented Bermuda at the Carifta Games held here over Easter, including Latroya Darrell, Taijaun Talbot , Zindzi Swan, LoVintz Tota and the Under-17 girls? 4x400-metre relay team (Lightbourn, Brittany Pitt, Shelby Hollis and Arantxa King).

Since Carifta, USA-based King has competed in the long jump and recorded distances of 5.77 and 5.88 metres, marks that would have placed her in the medals at Carifta.

More recently Brittaney Marshall has shown improvement in both the discus and shot put, setting a new junior women?s national record in the discus (38.72 metres) and heaving the shot about 13 metres in training.

Sprint hurdler Andrea Jackson also knocked off half a second from her time while Lightbourn ran a personal best two minutes, 17.3 seconds in the 800 metres.

Four athletes will gain their first international experience at these Games. They are Under-17 competitors Marvin Williams (100 and 200 metres), Brian Ming and Norris Wilkinson (both 4x400-metre relay and 400 metres) and Akilah King (400 metres) in the Under-20 division. The latter is Arantxa?s older sister.

Apart from Carifta-member territories, the Junior CAC meet will boast athletes from countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic and tough competition is expected. Latroya Darrell (high and triple jumps); Arantxa King (100m, long jump and 4x 400m); Shelby Hollis (400m and 4x400m); Deanne Lightbourn (1200m, 800m and 4x400m); Brittany Pitt (400m and 4x400m).Tristan Francis (100m and 200m); Jade Darrell and Kijaun Wilkinson (high and long jumps); Brian Ming; Norris Wilkinson; Marvin Williams and Taijaun Talbot (1500m and 800m). Andrea Jackson (100m hurdles); Akilah King; Brittaney Marshall and Zindzi Swan (high and long jumps).