Golden finish as Jamaica end Carifta Games with 4x400m relay sweep

JAMAICA closed out their participation at the 44th Carifta Games in a blaze of glory, winning gold medals in all 4x400 metres relays at the Silver Jubilee Athletic Stadium in Basseterre, St Kitts, last night.

The previous day, Jamaica had swept the sprint relay finals.

Jamaica picked up another 41 on the final day to end with 85 medals overall. This included 41 gold, 25 silver and 19 bronze.

Barbados' Mary Fraser, who won the Under-18 800m, 1500m and 3000m, earned the Austin Sealy Award for being the Most Outstanding Athlete.

In the 4x400m relays, Jamaica's Under-18 girls' quartet of Junelle Bromfield, Satanya Wright, Shanique Walker, and Anna Kaye Allen started the fireworks with an easy victory in 3:39.13. Bahamas were second in 3:40.58, with St Kitts and Nevis third in 3:51.26.

new mark

With the outstanding Christopher Taylor on anchor, Jamaica set a new mark, 3:12.07, in the boys' Under-18 4x400m. Leonardo Ledigster, Devaughn Ellington and Jauvaney James were the other runners on the team. The previous record, 3:12.63, was set by Jamaica last year.

Trinidad and Tobago, 3:14.23, won silver, while the Bahamas ended third in 3:18.12.

Yeaschea Williams, Tiffany James, Andrenette Knight, and Dawnalee Lonely took the girls' Under-20 event in 3:37.96, as the British Virgin Islands surprised for silver in 3:46.43, with bronze going to T&T, 3:47.55.

In the boys' Under-20, a brilliant second leg from Jaheel Hyde put Jamaica in total control, as they won easily in 3:09.13. Marvin Williams, Terry Thomas and Michael O'Hara were the other team members. Bahamas ended second in 3:12.33, with T&T third in 3:15.77.

In the first set of track finals yesterday, Jamaica won three of four sprint hurdles finals.

Defending champion in the girl's Under-18 100m hurdles, Jameel Brown, set a record 13.28 seconds to erase her one-year-old mark of 13.48 seconds in claiming victory. Jessie Zali of Martinique was second in 13.71 seconds, just edging out Kieshonna Brooks of St Kitts and Nevis, 13.71. Jamaica's Safia Lawrence (14.00) was fourth.

With a tail wind of 4.8 metres per second, World Youth champion, Yanique Thompson, clocked 13.21 for gold in the girl's Under-20 100m hurdles. Her teammate, Jeanine Williams, clocked 13.49 seconds for silver, with bronze going to Trinidad and Tobago's (T&T) Jeminise Parris, 13.85.

boys' Under-18 110m hurdles

Jordan Roberts finished second in a handy time 13.2 seconds in the boys' Under-18 110m hurdles. The Bahamas took gold through Tavonte Mott, 13.1, with bronze going to Rivaldo Leach of Barbados, 13.3.

After his success in the Under-20 400m hurdles on Sunday, it was a quick double for Jaheel Hyde, who clocked 13.36 for gold in the 110m hurdles. Xavier Coakley of the Bahamas was second in 13.51, as Seanie Selvie took the bronze for Jamaica in 13.57.

Shaniel English, in the girl's Under-18, won Jamaica's only gold in the 200m. English, 22.38, beat Brianne Bethel of the Bahamas, 23.47, while Kimone Shaw, 23.89, earned Jamaica a bronze.

Saqukine Cameron took silver in the U20 girls' 200m, clocking 23.32. Defending champion, Kayelle Clarke of T&T, retained her title in 23.12 seconds, while Keianna Albury of Bahamas took bronze in 23.49.

Xavier Angus won bronze in the boys' Under-18 equivalent.

No Jamaican reported for the U20 boys' 200m final. Chad Walker and Nigel Ellis had advanced, but both got injured in the 4x100m relay final.

Under-18 girls 800m

In the Under-18 girls 800m, Chrissani May (2:13.28) won silver, while in the Under-20 event, Lisa Buchanan was third in 2:13.26.

Paul Tate won gold in 1:52.43 in the boys' Under-20, while Devaughn Smith took bronze in 1:52.29, the same time given to Justin Pinder of Bahamas, who got the silver medal.

Shanice Love won the Under-20 girls discus gold medal with 49.39m ahead of teammate Rochelle Frazer, 46.86m. Emeline Ted (41.00m) of Martinique was third.

Obrien Wasome, 15.85m, and O'daine Lewis, 15.41, gave Jamaica silver and bronze, respectively, in the Under-20 boys' triple jump. Miguel Van Assen (16.24m) of Suriname won gold.

In the morning session, the Jamaicans were almost perfect.

Isheeka Binns threw a record 49.72m on her second attempt in the Under-20 girl's javelin, while Ayesha Champagnie claimed silver with 47.51. Candeshia Scott of Grenada took bronze with 45.58m.

Safia Morgan, 1.76, won the girls' Under-20 gold, as Shanae McKenzie (1.73m) took the bronze. Lehman Roberts of T&T won silver on count back, after also clearing 1.73m.

In the boys' Under-20 shot put, Demar Gayle won the gold medal with 19.24, with Lawrence taking silver with 17.92m. Lael Tirnan of Martinique earned bronze with a 16.78m effort.