Bermuda's track and field athletes are braced for a non-stop season of overseas competition including major events such as the CAC and the Commonwealth Games.

But before the Island's top performers are able to strut their stuff on the world stage, they will battle it out against each other at the Bermuda Track and Field Association's (BTFA) national championships.

This year's event promises to be the most competitive in recent memory following the introduction of a new IAAF ruling, requiring all international athletes to compete in their own country's national championships.

BTFA president Donna Watson believes the inclusion of Bermuda's top draw athletes will help breath fresh life into a competition which has fallen off the local sporting radar in recent years.

In an attempt to inject even more excitement, Watson is looking to bring in some top overseas performers to add some extra spice. The national championships will be held at the National Sports Centre (NSC) on June 19 and 20.

"First up is our own national championships," said Watson. "We should have all of our athletes from overseas participating as this is now becoming a rule from the IAAF that all track and field athletes wanting to represent Bermuda internationally are required to compete in our national championships.

"We're also hoping to bring in some international athletes for that event."

The first overseas event involving local athletes will be the CAC Juniors to be held in Santo Dominica, Dominican Republic on July 2 and 4.

Watson hopes Bermuda will send an even bigger squad than the one that snatched 10 medals at the Carifta Games in Cayman Islands earlier this month.

"The CAC Juniors has the same age group as the Carifta Games (under-17 and under-20). I'm hoping we are going to be sending an even bigger team to this event. We already have 14 athletes who have reached the qualifying standard and several more knocking on the door."

At least four Bermuda athletes, aged between 20 and 22, will then head to Miramar, Florida, for the NACAC Under-23 Games from July 9-11. Aaron Evans, Tre Houston, Arantxa King and Latroya Darrell have all met the qualifying standard.

The first major event of the summer will see a strong Bermuda team, made up of Tyrone Smith, Chayce Smith, Henry Stevens-Carty, Shianne Smith, Evans and Houston compete at the CAC Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, from July 17 until August 1.

Between July 19 and 25, Bermuda will be sending a team to the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada. Jeneko Place and Jasmine Brunson have already qualified. Sprinter Place will also represent his country at the inaugural World Youth Olympics, in Singapore, from August 14-26.

A junior national team squad, made up of athletes aged between nine and 14 will travel to St.Kitts for the CUT Games from July 23 and 25.

The final event for the season will be the Commonwealth Games, to be held in New Delhi, India from October 3-14.

Bermuda are hoping to send Tyrone Smith, Chayce Smith, Shianne Smith, Evans, Houston, King and Darrell to those Games.

Watson said: "As you see we are in full swing with no break no time soon and the athletes are very pumped up and excited with all of the opportunities presented before them. We should have a great summer season and I expect to continue our success."

Bermuda Olympic Association (BOA) have selected Watson as the Chef de Mission for the CAC Games. She is currently in Puerto Rico attending the Chef de Mission meeting, where she will tour several of the sports facilities at Mayaguez.