Bermuda athletics star Arantxa King has pulled out of the upcoming Carifta Games, instead setting her sights on success at the US NCAA National Championships.

Long jumper King had qualified for the Caribbean showpiece being held in St. Kitts from March 21 to March 24 but with other major track and field events coming up, she has been forced to pick and choose the meets at which she will attend.

"She is presently focusing on the NCAA National Championships", her mother Branwen Smith-King told The Royal Gazette yesterday. "To qualify as a freshman is a huge deal, and being Carifta is the week of Nationals, she will miss the Games.

"She knows that this would have been her last Carifta but she has a bright future in the sport and is okay with the decision."

"Because she is going to the Nationals, she will miss school days," added Smith-King. "In addition to all of this she will be in exams and her academics take priority.

"To miss school further, plus recovery time for her legs, it would have been tough to make the trip to Carifta."

The 18-year-old has yet to meet Olympic standards but is still hoping to make the trip to Beijing this summer.

"Arantxa has to jump 6.60 metres to meet the 'B' standard for the Olympics", explained her mother. "Her next meet is the NCAA National Championships on March 14-15 so she can make it there. The automatic standard for Nationals is 6.35."

Knowing she could improve on her performances, Smith-King insisted her daughter had what it takes to be successful.

"Arantxa's college coach Edrick Floreal and I both feel that she has great potential for the future", said her mother. "She is training hard daily with the programme that Edrick has designed for her and it is only a matter of time for her distances to improve.

"She has to work on her long jump technique as well as her strength in order that she attains the standards required for Olympic level competition. Coach Floreal wants to keep her legs fresh and injury-free to give her the best opportunity to try and make the Olympic standard."

Donna Watson, assistant coach to the Carifta team, said King would be a big miss.

"Anybody who won't travel that has qualified will be a miss, but this is not a team sport in a sense", Watson said. "But we will miss her."

But Watson said confidence was high in the camp as the youngters had all set personal goals.

"Our main goal is to bring medals back home", Watson continued. We have several athletes that can get this done, but we also want some of them to make finals and even set personal bests.

"This is a great chance for our athletes to show their potential".

The team depart on March 18, returning on March 26 and consists of 22 athletes ranging in age from 12 to 18.

Full team:

Under-17 females: Ashley Berry (1500m, 3000m); Taylor-Ashley Bean (800m, 400m); Megan Berry (1500m); Kyla Bolden (800m); Shuntae Hendrickson (400m); Allison Outerbridge (Triple jump, Long jump); Shawnae Brangman (100m, Long jump); Nandi Wood (Shot putt, Javelin); 4x400m relay: Kyla Bolden, Shuntae Hendrickson, Ashley-Taylor Bean, Ashley Berry, Megan Berry; 4x100m relay: Allison Outerbridge, Shawnae Brangman, Taylor-Ashley Bean, Shuntae Hendrickson, Nandi Woods

Under-17 males: Ryan Furbert (800m, High jump); Kyle Virgil (100m, 200m); Darrion Simons (100m, 200m); Emmanuel Joynes (3000m).

Under-20 females: Alexis Bean (800m, 1500m, 3000m); Jasmine Brunson- (Long jump, Triple jump); Eulannae Douglas (100m, 200m); Deanne Lightbourn (800m, 400m).

Under-20 males: Tre Houston (100m, 200m); Aaron Evans (800m); Matthew Spring (800m, 1500m); Sean Trott (5000m); Kijuan Wilkinson (Triple jump); Zaccheus Rawlins (100m, 200m).

Travelling with the team will be manager Michele Williams, coach Gerry Swan, assistant coach Devon Bean, assistant coach Donna Watson, massage therapist Susan Verity.