Donna Raynor, the Bermuda National Athletics Association president, has high expectations for the local athletes that will compete at next month’s NACAC Under-18 and Under-23 Championships in Queretaro, Mexico and beyond.

Flying Bermuda’s banner at the regional track and field championships, to be held July 5 to 7, are sprinters Caitlyn Bobb and Stephan Dill and middle distance runners Nathan Armstrong and Nirobi Smith-Mills.

Armstrong, Bobb and Smith-Mills all earned medals at April’s Carifta Games at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in Grand Cayman. Bobb won the gold medal in the under-17 400m and bronze medal in the 4X100m relay, Smith-Mills the gold in the under-17 800m while Armstrong secured the bronze in the under-17 1500m and silver in the 3000m.

Bobb is competing in the under-18 200m and 400m, Armstrong in the under-18 1500m and 3000m, Smith-Mills in the under-18 800m and Dill in the under-23 100m and 200m.

“Caitlyn has been tearing up the track in the US,” Raynor said. “We are looking for some great things from Caitlyn for now and in the future.

“We are looking for some great things from Nathan as well and know that he is receiving a lot of good and valuable advice from his father Terrance Armstrong.

“Smith-Mills who has been turning in some good times here in Bermuda in our local track meets is in great shape. The interesting story about Nirobi is that he will leave Mexico after his event is complete and head to Toronto to play in the Bermuda National U19 Cricket team.

“This is great for Bermuda sport as we work hand in hand with BCB to prepare an athlete for both competitions. Our hope is that he is successful in both.

“This will be a good competition for Stephan as he prepares to attend Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte, NC in August and will be part of the track team.”

Raynor views the NACAC Championships as “critical” towards Bermuda’s preparation for next year’s Carifta Games that the island will host.

“This competition is a great opportunity for our young athletes and we are looking for many more opportunities for all of our athletes in preparation towards Carifta 2020,” she said.

“Any events we can get our athletes to at this time are very important and critical towards our preparation. We want our athletes to be ready to put on a good show in front of their home crowd and have several of them on the podium.

“We are getting ready to put on a great show — on and off the track — and are deep in the planning stages for April 2020.

“Things are going well and we are looking forward to the support of the Bermuda public.”