By FRED STURRUP, NG Associate Editor

Athletics will, as is customary, be the largest group to represent The Bahamas at the 1st Caribbean Games scheduled for Trinidad and Tobago in July of next year.

It will be the first time in about 10 years that former President Mike Sands will not be steering the selection of a track and field team for a major regional or international competition. He served two terms as vice president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations under Desmond Bannister, who is now the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. Sands also finished out Bannister's last term in office and was into another term when he recently lost a no-confidence vote and Curt Hollingsworth became the chief of the BAAA.

This promises to be the first really big test for Hollingsworth. The CARIFTA Games which will come up around Easter time and the National Championships are events that will cause the new president to be watched closely. It will be interesting to see whether the BAAA under Hollingsworth will be able to entice the top flight athletes to participate in the Caribbean Games.

The Caribbean Games will be on the bottom ring of the now five big multiple sports competitions The Bahamas enters. The Olympic Games, the Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Central American and Caribbean Games respectively are on higher levels. There has never been a problem with the Olympic Games, but in recent years, elite athletes have opted out for one reason or another from the three lesser events.

It is likely that the BAAA could face a similar situation when it comes to putting a team together for the Caribbean Games, to present to the Bahamas Olympic Association.

By the month of July annually, the European Circuit is in full swing, attracting the world's prime athletes with attractive appearance and performance fees. In fact, the track and field stars of the world depend upon the European Circuit for much of their earnings. The factor that might favor the BAAA and other national federations is Trinidad & Tobago's desire for the inaugural Caribbean Games to be a huge success. More so than its sisters in the region, T&T has been putting a lot of financial concentration on sports.

Of course, it is oil-rich. I understand that great efforts will be made to get the region's big names in T&T for the games. The huge success of Caribbean athletes in tack and field at the August Beijing Olympics presents an even greater demand for the games organizing committee and the host country to come up with an enticing concept.

For instance, there is Usain Bolt of Jamaica. He is the world record holder in the 100 meters (9.69) and 200 meters (19.30). Will he be a competitor in Trinidad and Tobago next July? Also, there are the Jamaican spectacular ladies, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson. Fraser, Stewart and Simpson swept the Beijing 100 meters. Fraser won the gold and the other two tied for the silver. Then in the 200 meters, Campbell-Brown successfully defended her 200 Olympic crown and Stewart got the bronze.

Then, there is the Cuban, Dayron Robles, the Olympic high hurdles champ. The above mentioned athletes head a list of superstars it is hoped will be present in July to ignite the T&T National Stadium and set a quality standard for the Caribbean Games. Volleyball, boxing and swimming will also be a part of the games, but athletics will be the big draw.