MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, CMC – Bahamian sprinter Anthonique Strachan completed the precious sprint double while the Jamaicans stamped their authority in the distance relays and sprint hurdles on the final day of the 40th CARIFTA Games here Monday.
While Strachan raced to victory in the Under-20 200 metres, hosts Jamaica snatched three of the four distance relays and three of the four sprint hurdles to bring a thrilling climax to the Caribbean’s premier track and field showpiece at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex.
Strachan, who finished down the field in last year’s final, ensured there would be no such misfortune this time around as she clocked 11.38 seconds to cross the line first.
Trinidadian Michelle-Lee Ahye trailed in second in 11.44 seconds while Christina Williams of Jamaica was timed at 11.52 seconds in finishing third.
Strachan’s victory came on the heels of her triumph in the 100 metres on Saturday evening, when she also led home Ahye and Williams. Fellow Bahamian Carmiesha Cox won the corresponding event in the girls under-17s, crossing the line in 23.96 seconds to beat Jamaica’s Jonielle Smith into second.
Jamaican Jevaughn Minzie seemed poised to hand the hosts their first gold in the half lap in the boys under-17 but he slowed up at the end in premature celebration and allowed Trinidadian Machel Cedenio to sneak through and take victory in 21.43 seconds.
Jamaica, meanwhile, were destructive in the 4×100 metres relays with only the under-20 boys team failing to claim gold.
The under-20 girls’ team of Olivia James, Jeneve Russell, Semoya Campbell and Chris-Ann Gordon shattered the five-year-old record of three minutes, 31.90 seconds, as they posted a new time of 3:31.47.
Trinidad and Tobago clocked 3:39.88 to be second while the Bahamas finished third 3:41.05.
Jamaica’s under-17 girls team, comprising Kissi-Ann Brown, Yanique McNeil, Kimone Green and Peta-Gay Williams clocked 3:41.33 to clinch that age group, as Barbados (3:44.61) and the Bahamas (3:50.18) captured silver and gold respectively.
The hosts completed the hat-trick when their under-17 boys team of Kadeesh Willis, Minzie, Keneil Harrison and Rohan Walker clocked 3:15.19 to hold off the Trinidadians (3:15.35) and the Bahamians (3:17.78).
Trinidad and Tobago, however, turned the tables in the under-20 4x400m relay, clocking 3:08.96 to stop the Jamaican juggernaut.
Barbadian Jerrad Mason was also in record-breaking form, shattering the six-year-old record of 1:53.72 in the under-17 800 metres boys event to get home in a new time of 1:51.79.
The defending champion, Mason finished ahead of Bahamian Ashely Riley who also clocked a record 1:53.57.
Barbados also found gold through Anthonio Mascoll in the under-20 800 metres, as he repeated his success from Cayman Islands last year, racing to the line in 1:50.21
Jamaica also starred in the sprint hurdles, in another dominant display before their home crowd.
In the girls under-17s, Yanique Thompson (13.76 seconds) upset Barbadian Shakera Hall (13.82) while Chrisdale McCarthy clocked 13.97 seconds to win the under-20 event.
Stefan Fennell completed Jamaica’s hurdles success with victory in the under-20 boys in a time of 13/79 seconds.
