Photo: Double gold medalist Junelle Bromfield
Jamaica’s track and field contingent to the 5th edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games which started on the 5th of September, 2015 in the Samoan capital city Apia has reaped good success so far at this championships.
On the first day of competition the Men’s 4 x 400m Relay team comprising of Michael Bentley, Leonardo Ledgister, Juavaney James and Leon Clarke won that even in 3 minutes 13.5 seconds. Second spot went to home team Samoa in 3 minutes 43.15 seconds, with the third team in the race Kenya, being disqualified.
Junelle Bromfield pocketed the nation’s second gold on day 2, after she won the Women’s 400m Final . In a race where only 0.11 separated the medalists, she crossed the line in personal best of 53.09 seconds, with silver to Jisna Mathew (India) in 53.14 seconds and Bronze Idamadudu Praise Oghenefejiro (Nigeria) in 53.20 seconds.
Bromfield speaking to reporters from the Reporters Academy, post-race expressed, how determined she was to cop the title.
“I went out very late and had to do a lot of work in the back straight, the lactic acid was filling up my legs but I was determined to bring home the medal. I’ve always dreamt of being a Gold medalist and I didn’t get one at the World Championships.” she stated.
Teammate Satanya Wright earlier failed to pass the qualifying round after she finished 11th in 57.91 seconds.
High Jumper Lushane Wilson copped the bronze medal on count back, with a height of 2.11m, the same height as second place athlete Roshan Dammika Ranatungage of Sir Lanka . The Gold medal went to India with Tejaswin Shankar scaling 2.14m.
Kevin Nedrick finished 8th in the Boys Discuss final with a throw of 50.08m. The medals went to Werner Jakobus Visser of South Africa, 60.94m, George Evans of Scotland with 58.19m and Burger Lambrechts of South Africa with 58.02m.
The final day of athletics competitions, provided added success for Jamaica, as Jauavney James finished second the 400m hurdles final in 51.54 seconds. Teammate Leonardo Ledgister finished 6th in 54.78 seconds.
The Gold went to Rivaldo Leacock of Barbados in 51.12 seconds and Bronze went to Harrison Kimpton-Moss of Australia in 52.33 seconds.
Bromfield copped her second Gold, taking the 400m hurdles final in 1:00.78 seconds, ahead of Yamani Dulanjalee of sir Lanka 1:01.70 seconds and England’s Niamh Emerson with 1:01.99 seconds.
Nedrick bounced back from his disappointment in the Discuss, to take the top spot in the Shot Put final, turning the screws on his competitors in the Discuss final, with a new national junior and personal record of 20.12m.
The Silver went to South African Discuss champion Visser with 19.78m and teammate picking up the Bronze to Lambrechts with 19.31m.
Michael Bentley time of 21.75 saw him finishing 9th in the 200m, failing to make the finals, while the Leon Clarke finished fourth in the 800m final with a new personal best of 1:50.49 seconds. The race was won by Willy Tarbei of Kenya in 1:46.05 seconds.
The country is also taking part in swimming with Joseph Black and Annabella Lyn.
The country medal tally currently stands at 6, four Gold, one Silver and one Bronze, for ninth on the medal table. The country pocketed just two bronze medals at the last edition of the Games. The 2015 edition ends on the 12th September, 2015.
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