Barbadian athletics journalist Petra Gooding dies

The IAAF is deeply saddened to hear that Barbadian athletics journalist Petra Gooding died suddenly on Tuesday (19) at the age of 31.

Petra reportedly took ill and died at a local hospital on Tuesday morning at the age of 31.

At the time of her death she was a sports reporter at the Nation Publishing Company (Barbados Nation) and recently covered the 45th Carifta Games in Grenada.

Previously she worked at the Barbados Advocate newspaper for seven years and attended the Combermere High School and the Barbados Community College.

Michael Bascombe, president of CASJA (Caribbean Sports Journalists’ Association) paid tribute to Gooding.

“It wasn’t the best of news on Tuesday morning to learn of Petra’s death after recently working along with her,” he said. “Our profession will surely miss a dedicated and committed role model especially for young female journalists.”

CASJA for the IAAF