Robinson & Smith lead the Charge as Carifta Trials Begin
Riana Robinson
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s aspiring track and field stars took their first steps toward international competition as the Bermuda National Athletics Association hosted the opening Carifta Trial Meet at the Flora Duffy South Field Stadium. The event marked the beginning of a high-stakes qualifying window, with several athletes coming within striking distance of the elusive standards required for the regional showpiece.
The standout performance of the day came in the Under 17 Women’s 1500 meters, where Riana Robinson delivered a gritty display of middle-distance running. Robinson crossed the line in 5:08.71, finishing just over two seconds shy of the 5:06.00 qualifying standard. Her performance established her as the closest female athlete to a qualifying mark during the meet, placing her firmly in the spotlight ahead of future trials.
On the men’s side, Sanchez Smith stole the headlines in the Under 17 1500 meters. Smith stopped the clock at 4:26.30 to record a new personal best, leaving him roughly six seconds away from the 4:20.00 standard. While Smith leads the chase for the younger age group, Gianluca Bortoli also showed promising form in the Under 20 division, finishing his 1500-meter heat in 4:16.79, less than seven seconds away from the 4:10.00 benchmark.
In the sprint events, Surii Russell pulled double duty, testing himself in both the Under 17 and Under 20 400-meter dashes. His time of 52.03 was the fastest quarter-mile of the day, leaving him just 1.59 seconds away from the Under 17 standard of 50.44. Meanwhile, Kelise Wade proved to be the class of the field in the Under 17 Women's 400 meters, clocking 1:01.27 in an impressive solo effort.
The 100-meter sprints saw Leydi Raynor claim victory in the Under 17 Women’s final with a time of 13.07, while Chanz Martin led the way for the men in 12.21. In the field, Amaya Davis recorded a leap of 15-09.00 in the Long Jump, continuing her development in the discipline. As the season progresses, these athletes will look to bridge the narrow gaps to the standards as they aim to secure their seats on the plane for the 2026 Games.
Bobb Leading the Charge as UMBC Prepare for Indoor
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Bermuda’s Madisyn Bobb is gearing up for a high-octane 2026 indoor campaign as the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) officially begins its hunt for America East glory this week.
Bobb, a standout sprinter following in the footsteps of her father, David—a UMBC Hall of Famer and former NCAA runner-up—is set to be a focal point for the Retrievers’ track and field program. She enters the new year with considerable momentum after a strong opening performance in December, where she claimed a heat victory in the 300-meter dash at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in New York.
The Retrievers’ winter journey starts in earnest this Friday, January 9th, at the VCU Rams Indoor Invitational in Virginia Beach. The meet serves as the first of eight scheduled stops in a schedule that will see the team traverse some of the East Coast’s most prestigious indoor facilities.
Following the trip to Virginia, Bobb and her teammates will head to University Park for the Nittany Lion Challenge on January 17th. Penn State will become a recurring theme for the squad this season, as they are also slated to return to the same venue for the Penn State National over the final weekend of January and the Sykes & Sabock Challenge on February 7th.
The heart of the season features the high-profile Dr. Sander Invitational at The Armory in New York City, scheduled for January 23rd and 24th, followed by the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational in mid-February. These elite-level meets are expected to provide Bobb with the level of competition needed to chase personal bests and conference ranking points.
Everything in the schedule points toward the America East Indoor Championships, which will be held at the Track and Tennis Center at Boston University on February 20th and 21st. For Bobb and the Retrievers, the ultimate goal remains the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on March 13th and 14th.
Having seen her sister, Caitlyn Bobb, shatter records at Virginia Tech, Madisyn appears ready to carve out her own legacy in Baltimore as she looks to anchor the UMBC sprint core through the busiest stretch of the collegiate year.
Monday, January 05, 2026
Smith Set for Senior Indoor Season with Clayton State
IslandStats.com
Bermudian middle-distance specialist Sancho Smith is preparing for a grueling indoor campaign as Clayton State University officially released their 2025-26 track and field schedule.
Smith, a senior accounting major from Warwick, enters his final indoor season with a reputation as one of the most decorated student-athletes in the Lakers' recent history. A former Saltus Grammar School student, Smith has built a formidable resume in Georgia, balancing elite athletic performance with consistent academic excellence.
His trophy cabinet already includes four All-Conference selections—most notably for his contributions to the 4x400m and Distance Medley Relay squads—alongside a string of Academic Achievement awards. On the track, he remains the school record holder in the 600m, a mark he shattered at last year's KMS Invitational with a time of 1:22.23.
The Lakers' path to the post-season begins in earnest on January 18th, when the team returns to the familiar surroundings of the Birmingham CrossPlex for the KMS Invitational. The venue has historically been a happy hunting ground for Smith, who secured an 800m podium finish there just twelve months ago.
Following the trip to Birmingham, the schedule intensifies in February with a three-meet sprint. The team will return to Alabama on February 6th for the UAB Green and Gold Invite, followed quickly by the Bulldog Open on Valentine’s Day, hosted by Samford University. These meets will serve as the final tuning phase before the season’s centerpiece.
The indoor campaign will culminate on February 23rd at the Peach Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships. Hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Gainesville, Florida, the meet offers Smith a final opportunity to add an indoor conference title to his legacy. After helping the Distance Medley Relay team to a third-place finish in 2025, the senior will be eyeing the top step of the podium to close out his collegiate indoor career.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Bermuda’s Golden Girls Secure Top NACAC Indoor Rankings
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The North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) has released its final regional rankings for the 2025 Indoor season, confirming a stellar year for Bermuda’s elite female contingent. As the athletics world pivots toward a new calendar year, the data highlights a period of unprecedented depth and record-breaking consistency for the island’s track and field stars.
Leading the charge is sprinter Caitlyn Bobb, who has solidified her status as one of the region’s premier dual-threat sprinters.
Bobb ends the season ranked 15th in the 400 meters following a sensational national record performance of 52.69 seconds in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 3rd. Her dominance extended to the 200 meters, where she occupies the 21st spot in the regional standings. Her time of 23.95 seconds, clocked in Lubbock, Texas, in late January, stands as a new national indoor benchmark and underscores her rapid ascent on the collegiate circuit.
Bermuda’s middle-distance and field event programmes have also earned significant recognition in the year-end honors. Shayla Cann enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in the 800 meters, finishing the year as the 16th-ranked indoor runner in the NACAC region. Cann’s clinical performance of 2:09.78 in Virginia on 25 February served as a highlight of her season, proving her ability to compete with the finest developmental talents in North America.
In the vertical jumps, Sakari Famous remains a formidable presence among the Caribbean's elite. Famous secured the 12th position in the high jump rankings after clearing 1.78 meters during a high-stakes meet in College Station, Texas, on February 8th. Her inclusion in the top tier of the regional rankings caps off a disciplined indoor season for the high jumper, ensuring that Bermuda enters 2026 with a powerful presence across the sprint, middle-distance, and field disciplines.
Monday, December 29, 2025
Bermuda’s Indoor Men’s Elite Secure Top NACAC Rankings
IslandStats.com
As the athletics world pivots toward the 2026 indoor season, the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) has released its final regional rankings for 2025 Indoor, confirming a stellar year for Bermuda’s elite male contingent.
From the high-velocity circuits of Boston and Sheffield to the elite jumping pits of the United States, the island’s impact has been felt across multiple disciplines, with four standouts securing prestigious spots among the region's best.
Middle-distance specialist Nairobi Smith-Mills led the charge in the 800 metres, finishing the year as the 18th-ranked indoor runner in the NACAC region. Smith-Mills delivered a clinical performance at the BUCS Indoor Nationals in Sheffield on February 15th, clocking a season-best 1:50.87 to solidify his status as one of the Caribbean’s most promising rising stars. He is joined in the top tier by the versatile Ryan Outerbridge, who remarkably cracked the regional rankings in three separate events. Outerbridge occupies the 26th spot in the 800 metres after his 1:54.58 effort in Boston, but it was in the longer distances where he truly excelled, ranking 12th in the 1500 metres with a time of 3:58.02 and 13th in the indoor mile following a 4:14.43 clocking in early March.
In the endurance and field events, Bermuda’s youngsters continued to set the standard on the world stage. Jake Brislane earned the 14th regional ranking in the 3000 metres, following a gritty 8:33.73 performance in Sheffield that showcased his tactical maturity over the longer indoor format.
Meanwhile, Olympian Jah-Nhai Perinchief remains a formidable presence in the triple jump, ending the season as the 8th-ranked indoor athlete in the region. Perinchief’s leap of 16.71 metres in Columbia, South Carolina, served as a powerful reminder of his world-class ability as he prepares to lead the island's charge into the 2026 international calendar.
