The 26th CARIFTA Games was held at the National Stadium[1] in Bridgetown, Barbados, on April 4–6, 1997.

Detailed result lists can be found on the "World Junior Athletics History" website.

[2] An unofficial count yields the number of about 270 athletes (146 junior (under-20) and 124 youth (under-17)) from about 19 countries: Antigua and Barbuda (8), Aruba (1), Bahamas (27), Barbados (41), Bermuda (11), British Virgin Islands (2), Cayman Islands (5), Dominica (6), Grenada (10), Guadeloupe (16), Guyana (11), Jamaica (53), Martinique (30), Saint Kitts and Nevis (3), Saint Lucia (3), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (7), Suriname (1), Trinidad and Tobago (29), US Virgin Islands (7).

The Austin Sealy Trophy for the most outstanding athlete of the games was awarded for the first time jointly to two athletes: Aleen Bailey and Roy Bailey, both from Jamaica.

[8] Complete results can be found on the "World Junior Athletics History" website.