St. Maarten athletes Deliver strong performances after NK cancellation

THE NETHERLANDS--The St. Maarten National Athletic Federation, SNAF, is celebrating strong performances by Carlos Brison Cainez and Nahjah Wyatte Munoz, who represented St. Maarten in the Netherlands following the cancellation of the 2026 Dutch National Championships, NK.

Although the championships were cancelled due to extreme weather conditions, an alternative competition was organized during the same weekend for athletes seeking qualification opportunities. Brison Cainez and Wyatte Munoz both competed in the Men’s U20 800 meters, while Brison Cainez also contested the Men’s U20 400 meters.

Brison Cainez delivered an exceptional meet, winning both the 800 meters and 400 meters. He finished first in the 800 meters with a time of 1:51.39 and also claimed victory in the 400 meters with a time of 49.40. His performances demonstrated his versatility and continued development as one of the top U20 middle-distance athletes in the Netherlands.

Fourteen-year-old Wyatte Munoz, the youngest athlete in the field, also delivered an impressive performance, finishing fourth in the Men’s U20 800 meters against some of the leading young athletes in the Netherlands. Competing against athletes several years older, he again showed that he belongs among the country’s elite young middle-distance runners.

His performance further reinforced that his success at the 2026 CARIFTA Games was no coincidence. At CARIFTA, Wyatte Munoz recorded strong times of 1:53.26 and 1:53.59 in the 800 meters, establishing himself as one of the Caribbean’s brightest young middle-distance talents.

Coach Abdule Wattley said he was proud of both athletes and the way they represented St. Maarten.

“I am extremely pleased with the performances of both Carlos and Nahjah. As a coach, one of the proudest moments of the race was seeing two athletes from St. Maarten leading the field in first and second place for much of the race. It was an incredible sight to witness Carlos and Nahjah setting the pace against some of the best athletes in the Netherlands. Eventually, Carlos showed his class by pulling away from the field to secure a convincing victory. These performances are a testament to the commitment, discipline and hard work of our athletes, and demonstrate that athletics in St. Maarten continues to make significant progress. The future is very bright for our federation,” Wattley said.

SNAF congratulated both athletes on their achievements and said it looks forward to supporting their continued development as they represent St. Maarten on the regional and international stage.

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