Eagan is eager to get back to CARIFTA

At just 16 years old, Eagan Neely is already a two-time CARIFTA Games team member for The Bahamas, and he is on pace to make it three in a row this year.

The 10th grader at St. Augustine’s College (SAC) has qualified for CARIFTA every time he stepped on the track this year, with the exception of heats. In finals, he brings the fire each and every time, and goes into next weekend’s CARIFTA Trials with a season’s and personal best time of 21.42 seconds in the 200 meters (m) and a season’s best time of 48.29 seconds in the 400m.

Neely, who trains with Daron Lightbourne at Bahamas Speed Dynamics, anticipates running both events at the Splice N Connect BAAA CARIFTA Trials, which is set for April 4-6 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

“I feel pretty good. I feel like the times will be there when I need them to be there,” said Neely after a practice session on Wednesday. “I just have to keep training and keep getting better. I’m confident that I’ll get to where I need to get to.”

Neely won the bronze medal in the under-17 boys 400m at last year’s CARIFTA Games at just 15 years old, running a personal best time of 48.16 seconds. He said that performance motivates and encourages him to go for gold this year. The 2025 CARIFTA Games is now just three weeks away, set for the Easter holiday weekend, April 19-21, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad & Tobago.

Neely isn’t just settling for any medal this year. He wants gold, and with his current trajectory, who could question his aspirations. The CARIFTA record in the under-17 boys 400m is 47.27 seconds, set by Nickecoy Bramwell of Jamaica in winning gold last year. It’s a target that is certainly within reach for Neely.

“Well, last year’s experience is going to help a lot. I ran individual for the first time at CARIFTA last year and I won a medal, so now I have the confidence that I could do better. I know what to expect,” said Neely. “I feel like I’ll be ready. One of the things that I think I need to work on is having better arm movement, especially in the last 50 to 100 meters of the race, but I feel confident. I would love to break the CARIFTA record, especially with this being my last year in the under-17 division. I feel like I have what it takes to do that.”

Not to be left out is his exploits in the 200m. His season’s and personal best time of 21.42 seconds from the high school nationals would have been good enough for CARIFTA gold last year, by more than three tenths of a second. Neely said he has grown to love the 200m.

“Even though I run the 400 more, I would say that my favorite event is the 200. The goal is to run both of them at CARIFTA and come back with two personal best times and hopefully gold medals as well. I’m confident that I’ll be ready. I feel good about my chances,” he said.

Neely ran in the under-20 division at the Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships last weekend, looking to help his school earn points and get some more competition for his events, and what a performance it was. His time of 21.42 seconds in the 200m blew away the field. Andrew Brown, of Queen’s College, was a distant second in 21.59 seconds.

“I feel like if I could compete in under-20 and do well, I should be able to do well in the under-17 division. I’m looking to go even faster at the trials. I’m excited, and I’m ready,” said Neely.

Neely goes into the CARIFTA Trials as the favorite in the under-17 boys 200 and 400m. He said he is looking forward to the competition and embraces the challenge.

The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ (BAAA) CARIFTA Trials will be held under the theme ‘We name Bahamas’. BAAA President Drumeco Archer said it’s a clarion call to get the country excited for what’s to come in terms of representation from The Bahamas at the CARIFTA Games.

About 500 athletes are registered to compete in the Splice N Connect BAAA CARIFTA Trials next weekend at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. Already, there are 61 qualifiers for The Bahamas for the CARIFTA Games, with some qualifying in multiple events.