Dage Minors is out of tonight’s Mile Reloaded event at the Flora Duffy Stadium because of illness, Bermuda National Athletics Association president Freddie Evans confirmed yesterday.

Minors’s race in the men’s category against Lamont Marshall was promoted as one of the main events of the night, and now the organisers wait to see who will register before the deadline. By midday the number of athletes signed up had risen to 88.

“I’m disappointed for Dage, he was working really hard and wants to have a great season and perform well in front of a Bermuda crowd,” said Evans, who still expects some exciting races, starting with the juniors at 6pm.

“It’s open to the community, so there are road runners, triathletes and weekend joggers who will come out and test their skills, so it should be fun. I think it will be competitive, for sure.”

BNAA are planning a professional track meet in April when Minors and other top track athletes will get the chance to perform against overseas athletes.

“We just hope we’re able to pull off this meet in April, to give him a chance to get a good showing in front of his home town crowd,” Evans said of the meet which is planned for April 12 but is still being finalised.

“It’s on the World Athletics and Nacac calendar and we’re trying to finalise everything. It is part of the Continental tour and will have regional athletes who are trying to go on to world games.

“I would expect all our senior athletes to compete, as their college schedules will permit, and it will be the first time that we unveil our Carifta athletes who will be flying out to Jamaica the next weekend.

“They won’t compete but I would like them to feel the excitement and for Bermuda to wish them well and show them some love.”