Bermuda Pacers Track Club will be looking to impress on their debut at the International Youth Championships over the weekend.

The local club will be represented by a team of 19 athletes ages from 8 to 18, that will compete in 48 individual events over the course of the three-day championships, which gets under way at the Prince George’s Sport and Learning Centre in Landover, Maryland, on Friday.

Pacers coach Cal Simons said the athletes are pumped up for the occasion and determined to put their best foot forward.

“We anticipate that this experience will be a great one for the athletes participating, and I am sure they will all do well,” he told The Royal Gazette.

Pacers team consists of Surii Russell, Tobiah Goodchild, Riana Robinson, Brianna Lightbourne, Kelise Wade, Cataliah Pitcher-Place, Jasmaine Reid Rubaine, Mylah DeSilva, Amaya Davis, Jadon Lightbourne, Jemani Scott, Ronan Davidge, Gabrielle Saunders, Giselle Reid Rubaine, Sazise Lobese, Novi Butler, Elliott Davidge, Kayjay Davis and guest athlete Amara Samuel of DASH Track Club.

Russell and Goodchild, the most senior male athletes on the team, are competing in the 17-18 boys’ division in the 200, 400 and 800 metres respectively.

Russell is heading into the track meet in good form having clocked a personal best in the 400m (49.9sec) when representing Bermuda at last weekend’s NACAC Under- 18 Championships in Mexico.

Robinson, Lightbourne, Wade and Samuel are competing in the 15-16 girls’ division. Lightbourne and Samuel are competing in the 100 and 200 metres, Wade in the 200, 400 and 800 metres and Carifta athlete Robinson in the 800, 1500 and 3000 metres.

Pitcher-Place, Jasmaine Reid Rubaine, DeSilva and Amaya Davis are competing in the 13-14 girls’ division. Pitcher-Place and Jasmaine Rubaine are competing in the 100 and 200 metres. Pitcher- Place will also put her skills to the test competing in the long jump, while DeSilva is competing in the 200, 400 and 800 metres and Davis in the long jump and triple jump.

Lightbourne, Scott and Ronan Davidge are competing in the 13-14 boys’ division. Lightbourne, one of the most promising sprinters on the island, is competing in the 100 and 200 metres. Scott is competing in the 400 and 800 metres and is also heading into the event in good form having achieved personal best times in both disciplines during the recently held National Championships. Ronan Davidge will be challenging for honours in the 1500 and 3000 metres.

BSSF Primary School champion Saunders is competing in the 11-12 girls’ division in the 100, 200 and 400 metres.

Giselle Reid Rubaine, Lobese and Butler will carry Pacers’ hopes for success in the 9 -10 girls ‘division competing in the 100, 200, and long jump.

Elliott Davidge is the club’s lone athlete in the 9-10 boys’ division and is competing in the 400, 800 and 1500 metres. The promising runner has already proven himself at this level having been crowned as the outstanding athlete in the 8 and under division in his previous outing on the international stage.

Kayjay Davis, the youngest member of the team, is competing in the 8 and under boy’s division in the 100 and 200 metres.

Lightbourne, Saunders, Lobese and Butler are among seven team members representing Pacers at an international event for the first time.

The team will be accompanied in Maryland by club executives and coaches along with several parents.