At just 14 years old, Nahjah Wyatte has made history for St. Maarten. The young middle-distance runner captured the gold medal in the Boys Under-17 800m at the 2026 CARIFTA Games, finishing in an impressive 1:53.26 and setting a new personal best. His victory gave St. Maarten its first ever gold medal in the annual regional competition.
Caribbbean Network sat down with Nahjah to learn more about makes him a champion. Despite his widely admired achievement, Nahjah remains humble. When asked what makes him stand out, he simply said, “I don’t really know what makes me special. I just come to track and train as hard as I can and just do my best.”
Nahjah discovered his passion for track and field three and half years ago after encouragement from his mother and twin brother. Since then, the sport has become a major part of his life.
CARIFTA Games
The 2026 CARIFTA Games were held in Grenada, April 4-6, 2026. Founded in 1972 the CARIFTA Games brings together the Caribbean’s top junior athletes in under-17 and under-20 categories to compete in sprinting, hurdles, middle-distance races, jumps, throws, and relays. The games have long served as a platform for emerging Caribbean athletic talent.
Nahjah is a high school junior in his first year at Milton Peters College and already has his sights set on an even bigger stage. When asked where he sees himself in the next five years, he said by that time he would be 18 and motivated to go to the US to further his career in track and field. “Hopefully I make it to the Olympics. That’s the goal,” he said confidently.
Nahjah earned his place at the CARIFTA Games by qualifying through two local tournaments designed to select athletes for the games. Specializing in the 400m and 800m events, he traveled to Grenada with the Dynamics Sporting Club. However, the journey was not without challenges. The team did not receive municipal funding and instead relied on community support through a GoFundMe campaign, which helped cover travel expenses and other necessities.
Preparation and consistency
Nahjah shared how preparation and consistency are key to success. “Sleep on time, eat good, practice every day and just train as hard as you can” he encouraged. Reflecting on this year’s competition, he shared how lessons from his previous CARIFTA experience motivated him to perform better. “I left all of that behind and just pushed. I just ran as hard as I could and got the medal. I’m really happy about that. I came home and I had a nice warm welcome. I’m happy about that,” he said with a smile.
To stay in peak condition, Nahjah trains five days a week, focusing mainly on conditioning and endurance work on the treadmill, along with light weightlifting. He noted that heavier lifting is generally more beneficial for sprinters.
When asked which athlete inspires him most, Nahjah did not mention an international star. Instead, he proudly named his twin brother, Nessiah Wyatte, who also trains with the Dynamics Sporting Club. “We do almost everything together. We push each other academically and in sports to be the best that we can.”
Before fully committing to track and field, Nahjah also played soccer. Over time, however, his love for track and field grew stronger, especially after coaches recognized his talent during school competitions and encouraged him to pursue the sport seriously.
