St. Jago's Natasha Ruddock. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer WORLD YOUTH silver medallist Natasha Ruddock, Taneisha Blair and Andrew Riley have been added to Jamaica's squad which departs tonight for the 36th CARIFTA Games in Turks and Caicos Islands.
Blair, who broke the national javelin record at Champs, replaced injured World Junior 100m bronze medallist Carrie Russell while Riley came in for Dwight Webley, who was also injured at Champs. Riley will compete in the heptathlon.
Meanwhile, Ruddock, who won the silver in the 100m hurdles at the 2005 World Youth Champion-ships, will join Alpha's Shermaine Williams in that event. She has won three years at the Under-17 level (2005, 2004 and 2003) but missed last year through injury.
Yohan Blake of St. Jago and Schillonie Calvert of Holmwood head the 70-member squad.
The two, Blake of St. Jago, who won the bronze medal at the World Junior Championships last year, and Calvert of Holmwood,who won the World Youth and Pan American 100m bronze in 2005, have already demonstrated their class on the international scene.
KC's Keiron Stewart, who established a new national junior record of 13.53 in the 110m hurdles at Champs, Natoya Goule, the two-time defending Under-17 800m and 1,500m champion, Theon O'Connor and Ramone McKenzie are expected to shine.
Returns next monday
The Championships will be held from April 7-9 and the squad will return next Monday.
The squad:Girls Under-20 - Schillonie Calvert, Danielle Jeffrey, Kaycea Jones, Bobby-Gaye Wilkins, Shermaine Williams, Shana-Gaye Tracey, Kimberly Williams, Keneisha Throughsingh, Salcia Slack, Kayan Robinson, Keno Heaven, Venessa Boyd, Teneisha Davis, Kimberly Brown, Andrea Reid, Misha-Gaye DaCosta, Roseann Jones, Latanya Nation.
Under-17 - Velma Morant, Denesha Morris, Jody-Ann Muir, Mackola Joseph, Latoya James, Kathie-Lee Laidley, Jodian Williams, Kaycia Graves, Antonique Campbell, Shavine Hodges, Natoya Goule, Lancie Hall, Sidoney Brown, Shanieka Thomas, Candicea Bernard.
Boys Under-20 - Yohan Blake, Ramone McKenzie, Kevin Williams, Conroy Crossman, Keiron Stewart, Riker Hylton, Tarik Batchelor, Robert Peddlar, Raymond Brown, Cawayne Jervis, Kemar Marsden, Oshane Barham, Theon O'Connor, Ageyan Robinson, Andre Collins, Julian Reid, Nicholas Gordon, Lorenzo Johnson, Andre Thomas.
Under-17 - Dexter Lee, Jermaine Brown, Dwayne Extol, Andre Pickersgill, Waquar DaCosta, Donahue Williams, Dexter McKenzie, Jameil Robinson, Kemoy Campbell, D'Omar Botden, Kimarley Henry, Kevean Smith, Jovan Hardware, Machell Baker, Kamal Fuller.
Team officials: Bradford Gayle (chef de mission), Carol Long (manager), Ethlyn Tate (assistant manager), Garth Craig (assistant manager), Edward Hector (head coach), Patrick Johnson (coach), Andrew Kidd (coach), Tanya Thomas (coach), Dave Anderson (coach), Lorna Vernon (coach), Paul Auden (team doctor), Gaynor Downer (physiotherapist).
