In 2004 we started a campaign to send a Barbudan to the 2012 Olympics. Peter Cuffy is the IOC track and field coach of the Barbuda Falcons Athletics Club and for athletics in general in Barbuda. Below we present a report on athletics that Peter gave to the Barbuda Council recently.
Peter Cuffy also features on the sportantigua.com web site.
I must first say thanks to God for the opportunity to be able to invest some of my time into the lives of some of our youths especially the young men in a time when we see what is taking place around us with our youths. Also thanks to the Barbuda Council for the monies that you have invested into our youths, though a lot more can still be done, but we are still grateful for what you have done so far.
Due to such investments some of our athletes have been able to take part in the development meets held at the Yasco Complex (in Antigua) every weekend and also the Coca Cola Inter-School Track and Field Championships where they did very well. For the first time Barbuda will be having two athletes representing the twin-island state at a major regional event. Maverick Weatherhead and Decosta Walbrook have both qualified to take part in this year's Carifta Games to be held in St Kitts over the Easter weekend. At present only three persons have qualified and two are from Barbuda, so that says a lot for us; they have both really put in some hard work over the past few months.
With only a team of 7 boys and 2 girls, our boys' team came fourth, missing the third place trophy by 2 points, with 9 athletes we came back with a total of 16 medals and 2 MVP trophies, 10 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze. Barbuda came first in the 4 x 400 metres relay.
In the long jump Decosta Walbrook leapt 6.95 metres, that's 22 feet 9 3/4 inches. In the high jump Decosta is now at 1.99 metres, that's about 6 foot 10 inches, and he is improving all the time. Maverick ran the 800 metres, that's 2 laps at Yasco, in 1.56.80 and the one lap 400 metres in 49.22.
| Athletes | Place | Event |
| Maverick Weatherhead | 1st | 400, 800, and 1500 metres, MVP |
| Decosta Walbrook | 1st | long jump, high jump, MVP |
| 2nd | 400 metres | |
| 3rd | 200 metres | |
| Artesha Nibbs | 2nd | 100, 200, and 400 metres |
| Shawn David | 2nd | 400 metres |
| Otine Beazer | 3rd | Senior 100 metres |
| Shawn David, Otine Beazer,Decosta Walbrook, Maverick Weatherhead | 1st | 4 x 400 metres relay |
| Other team members - Mosley Harris, Calena Cephas, Miguel George, and Eustace Martin. | ||
Both Maverick and Decosta are in range of making the standards to attend the World Junior Championships in Poland in July. Maverick is eligible to go to the first ever Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in India later in 2008. All of which could be good and positive exposure for Barbuda.
We are looking forward to the continued support of the Barbuda Council so as to continue to move forward in areas such as equipment and improving our facilities. We would also be grateful if the area which is earmarked for our track is fenced, because we would be willing to go out and help to get it to a level that is useable.
I am also willing to share what I have learnt in the courses and coaches' certification programmes that I have done, be it in the form of workshops or however possible. We would be willing to get more coaching education because a lot of methods of training change on a regular basis and we have to keep up with the changes so that Barbudans can compete when we go out there.
Once again, on behalf of myself and all the athletes, I say a special thanks and look forward to your continued support in our sporting endeavours. The best wishes to you all in your term of office.
Yours in the spirit of sport.
Peter Cuffy