Trinidad and Tobago will not be represented at the NACAC Age Group (U13 & U15) Championships because of travel difficulties.

The team, made up of eight athletes and four officials was scheduled to leave today for the Championships which will be held in Nicaragua on Friday and Saturday.

In a release explaining the pull-out yesterday, the National Association of Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAATT) said: "Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to secure a connecting flight between Panama and Nicaragua.

"We have explored alternative options but none of them have proven satisfactory and may actually expose our young athletes and accompanying officials to significant risk."

The NAAATT release added: "Our decision was a particularly difficult one as Trinidad and Tobago has enjoyed considerable success at this event and is currently the defending Team Champion, having won the event when it was last held in 2019."

The NAAATT said it was "mindful" of the disappointment that the young athletes may feel after having prepared and competed successfully at the two preparation meets and the trial event held earlier. But it said, "given the high and rising Covid-19 infection rate and the attendant risks associated with a long and circuitous travel itinerary, we believe that it is in the best interest of all concerned to withdraw the team."s.