Zavien Bernard in action at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium. The Hydel High student won Jamaica’s first gold medal at the 51st Carifta Games at the Kirani James Stadium in St George’s, Grenada on Saturday, March 30, 2024. (PHOTO: Marlon Reid, File).
Jamaica secured two gold medals during the morning session of day one at the 51st Carifta Games at the Kirani James Stadium in St George’s, Grenada on Saturday.
Zavien Bernard of Hydel High clinched the Girls’ Under-17 high jump, while Jamelia Young of Clarendon College triumphed in the Girls’ Under-17 shot put event.
Bernard jumped 1.71m to claim gold, with Alexandria Komolafe of the Bahamas finishing second on countback despite clearing the same height. Third place and the bronze medal went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Tenique Vincent, who failed her three attempts to clear 1.71m. Her best effort was 1.68m.
Bernard’s victory came a week after she smashed the Girls’ Class Three high jump meet record when she cleared a personal best 1.83m to defend her title at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.
Young threw 14.24m to secure victory in the shot put, beating Trinidad and Tobago’s Peyton Winter (14.21m) and the Bahamas’ Terrell McCoy (14.11m). Her performance mirrored her success at the Carifta Trials earlier this month, where she won with a throw of 13.33m.
Jamaica, the defending champions with a remarkable track record, enter the games with optimistic aspirations, eyeing their 38th consecutive title at this regional meet.
The Carifta Games are being broadcast live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.
