CARIFTA Games in Bridgetown, Barbados next month, must do so this weekend or face being left off the Bermuda team.

However, the young competitors vying for a place in the squad face problems due to the fact that they must qualify away from the National Stadium which has been closed for two weeks -- until March 25 -- because of construction work that is currently taking place.

According to Bermuda Track and Field Association vice-president Mike Swan, the work at the stadium has forced cancellation of the scheduled final CARIFTA Trials meet today.

But approval has been given for those having already qualified for CARIFTA, and those close to the standards, to continue to use the track under certain restrictions.

So far eight youngsters have reached the qualifying standard and with the BTFA's deadline set for today, the likelihood of that number increasing remains slim.

It was hoped that Daniel Watson and Tiffany Eatherley would have their names added to the list, but they have both suffered either sickness or injury.

Watson competes in the 200 and 400 metres and Eatherley in the 800 and 1500 metres, both in the Under-17 divisions.

There was some hope that Raneika Bean, who holds the CARIFTA record for the 100 metres and the CAC Under-17 record for the triple jump, would have her name added to the squad, but local officials are still awaiting news of her performances in recent meets at school in Alabama.

"Although the final meet we had scheduled for this weekend has been cancelled, it's still possible that somebody can add their name to the list of eight with a good performance at the last moment,'' said Swan.

"We have been training through the week and we are coping with the situation at the Stadium even though the venue has been strictly off limits for others.

Even still we must confirm the squad on the weekend because we have to buy tickets and make other reservations.''