Jamaica’s juniors, determined to better last year’s 78-medal haul, continue to reel in the medals at the Kirani James Stadium in St George’s, Grenada, as they look to confirm their stranglehold on regional youth athletics with another dominating display during Sunday’s second day of competition at the 51st Carifta Games.
Jamaica had already amassed 49 medals – 24 gold, 15 silver, and 10 bronze at the Games, which will end on Monday. The Bahamas are second with 25 medals – 7 gold, 9 silver, and 9 bronze, followed by Guyana with 5 medals – 4 gold and one bronze. Guadeloupe, with three medals (2 gold and 1 silver), and Trinidad and Tobago, with 15 medals (1 gold, 6 silver, and 8 bronze), complete the top five rankings.
Javontae Smith and Nastassia Fletcher emerged as standouts for Jamaica on the competition’s second day of action.
Smith set the stage with a remarkable performance in the Boys’ Under-17 shot put, throwing 18.80m to not only surpass his personal best but also shatter the Games record of 17.42m. The 16-year-old bettered the previous record set in 2011 by his compatriot Christopher Brown four times en route to a comfortable victory. He broke the record with his opening throw of 18.04m, followed by 18.46m with his second attempt, then 18.17m with his fifth attempt, and rounded off his series of throws with 18.80m.
Having entered the competition with a personal best of 18.58m, Smith’s superiority was clear, leaving his competitors behind. Jayden Walcott, a 15-year-old athlete from Barbados, secured second place with a throw of 15.07m, while Jaylen Stuart from the Bahamas claimed third with an effort of 15.28m. Smith’s teammate, Kamari Kennedy, took fourth place with a throw of 15.07m.
Following her 400m victory on Saturday, where she defeated the region’s best Under-17 one-lap runners with a time of 54.32, Fletcher completed a unique double by winning the 400m hurdles in utterly convincing fashion.
Fletcher triumphed in the Girls’ Under-17 400m hurdles with a new lifetime best of 1:00.10, improving upon her previous mark of 1:00.75 set at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships in Kingston on March 22. Darvinique Dean of the Bahamas took second place with a time of 1:00.66, while Jenna-Marie Thomas of Trinidad and Tobago finished third in 1:01.03. Fletcher’s teammate Alyssa Carty came in sixth with a time of 1:07.93.
In the Boys’ Under-17 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s Robert Miller secured the title with a lifetime best of 52.19, breaking the longstanding Games record of 52.75 set by Stephen Newbold of the Bahamas in 2010. Akanye Samuel-Francis of St Kitts and Nevis finished second with a time of 52.88, and Fransico Williams secured another podium spot for Jamaica, taking third place in 53.19.
Meanwhile, Shamer Blake led a one-two finish for Jamaica in the Boys’ Under-20 400m hurdles. Blake crossed the finish line in 51.21, just ahead of his teammate Princewell Martin, who clocked in at 51.34. Dorian Charles of Trinidad and Tobago took third place with a time of 52.70.
Michelle Smith of the Virgin Islands prevented Jamaica from securing a clean sweep of the 400m hurdles, winning the Under-20 title with ease in 56.28. Jamaican athletes Kelly Ann Carr (57.02) and Aaliyah Mullings (59.80) finished second and third, respectively.
Jamaica also won three out of the four sprint relays. The Under-17 girls set the pace for a clean sweep in the 4x100m relay, with Poshannalee Blake anchoring them to an easy win in 45.36 seconds. Following Jamaica were the Bahamas (46.28) and Trinidad and Tobago (47.49).
In the Boys’ Under-17 4x100m relay, Jamaica secured another comfortable victory as Nyrone Wade, Malike Nugent, Byron Walker, and Oshane Jervis clinched first place in 41.30 seconds, with Trinidad and Tobago (41.53) and the Bahamas (42.30) taking second and third place, respectively.
Moving on to the Girls’ Under-20 4x100m relay, the Jamaican quartet of Habiba Harris, Theianna Lee Terrelonge, Briana Campbell, and Shanoya Douglas delivered an impressive performance to win in 43.63 seconds, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (44.43) and the Bahamas (45.40).
Given the task of completing Jamaica’s clean sweep, the Under-20 boys’ 4×100 team suffered from a sloppy baton exchange between the second and third legs, allowing Trinidad and Tobago to capitalize and secure victory in 40.45 seconds. Jamaica finished second with a time of 40.55 seconds, while Grenada claimed third place with a time of 40.71 seconds.
Jamaica concluded the second day of competition with a bronze medal in the Mixed 4x400m relay open, a race being contested for the second time at the Games. The Jamaican quartet of Princewell Martin, Rickeisha Simms, Paul Henry, and Britannia Bailey crossed the line in 3 minutes and 30.42 seconds (3:30.42).
Guyana, led by the impressive Tianna Springer on the anchor leg, secured a convincing victory in 3:23.51, well ahead of second-place Grenada, who clocked 3:29.19.
Earlier, Kimeka Smith and Rickoy Hunter provided Jamaica with a strong start to the day by securing gold medals during the morning session.
Smith claimed the Girls’ Under-20 shot put crown with an effort of 13.68m, matching her personal best. Meanwhile, Hunter clinched the Boys’ Under-20 title with a final-round effort of 7.48m.
Chavez Penn of Jamaica continued his impressive form by winning the Boys’ Under-20 high jump title, clearing 2.13m. This victory marks consecutive gold medals for Penn, who won the Under-17 title last year.
The action for the final day on Monday is set to begin at 8:00 am Jamaica time.
