Photo: Some members of the all- conquering Carifta Games team pose with the Minister of Sports, Olivia Grange, at a welcome reception at the Norman Manley Airport on Tuesday.
From a Jamaican standpoint it was wonderfully impressive watching the athletes secure win after win against their Caribbean counterparts as they displayed a complete domination in the relays and the sprint hurdles to close out another medal topping performance at the 45th staging of the Carifta Games that ended on Monday night in Grenada.
The 86 medals won secured their 30th straight hold on the title, a streak that probably won’t ever be broken. The country secured 21 medals on the competition’s final day.
Manchester High’s Dazray Freeman sped to an easy 13.44 seconds to win the U18 Girls 100m hurdles while Joda Campbell rallied to secure the bronze in 13.78 seconds.
Class Two Champs record holder Dejour Russell was shown red after false starting in the Boys equivalent but teammate Damion Thomas brought the gold home for Jamaica in 13.32 seconds.
The U20 Girls final was a little more than s training run for Rushelle Burton who snatched victory in a comfortable 13.36 seconds run. Teammate Sydney Marshall trailed her home in 13.73 seconds.
Rohan Coke 13.71 seconds, was good enough for gold in the U20 Boys final. His teammate Timor Barrette, winner in the 400m hurdles final, left the battle early, stopping after clipping the first hurdle.
Jamaica was just one shy of the completing the sweep in the 800 meter events. The dominant Cemore Donald ensured that she left Grenada unbeaten by easily dispatching the field to win the U18 Girls 800m in 2:10.66 seconds. Chrissanni May held on for second in 2:13.90 seconds.
The talented Barbadian, Jonathan Jones won his second Gold as well, by winning the Boys equivalent in 1:49.88 seconds. Anthony Cox secured second spot for Jamaica with 1:58.55 seconds.
Jamaica returned to winning ways through a brilliant race by Junelle Bromfield who narrowly missed Natoya Goule’s record of 2:05.90, seconds, crossing the line in a personal best time of 2:06.21 seconds.
Shevan Parks fell just short of the World Junior qualifying time, but easily won the boys race in 1:51.77 seconds. Teammate Nathan Brown ensured he secured bronze in 1:52.99 seconds.
The 200m metre sprints brought more success for the Jamaicans. Shaniel English (23.65 seconds) and Brittany Anderson (23.74 seconds) finished 1-2 in the U18 final.
Michael Stephens proved his growth and maturity to run a well-executed race from the outside lane, and still managed to win the U-18 Boys final in 21.43 seconds.
The U20 Girls final went to Barbadian star Sada Williams in a quick 22.72 seconds. Jamaica’s Kimone Hines secured the bronze in 23.85 seconds.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Akanni Heslop won the Boys event in 20.89 seconds. Jamaica’s Andel Miller did 21.45 seconds, which was only good enough for eighth in that race.
In the field, Jamaica had very good day with records tumbling in U-20 Boys Shotput courtesy of Warren Barrett who won with a throw of 19.97m, to twice surpass the 19.47m mark set by Jamaica’s Ashina Miller in 2011. Sanjae Lawrence 19.06 m secured the silver medal.
Phillip Barnett was duly rewarded with Gold and the new record in the U-18 Boys Discus final. He hurled the device out to 60.44m. Teammate Rojae Stona was given second with a throw measuring 55.30m flat. Both efforts went beyond the previous record of 54.41m.
Earlier In the day Sahjay Stevens produced 41.91 m to win the bronze in the U-20 Girls Javelin final. Devia Brown with 38.87 was fourth. Shakwon Coke was 3rd in the U-18 Boys long jump with a 7.05m effort. Myesha Nott lept to 11.95m for fourth in the U18 Girls Triple Jump Final. The U 20 Boys secured the quinella in their equivalent, with Obrien Wasome cutting the sand at 16. 09m to beat teammate Jordon Scott 16.01m.
The 5000m gave Jamaica the two minor medals, in race that was marred by poor officiating, resulting in silver medallist, Jamaica’s Shane Buchannan doing an extra lap. The winner was Bahamian Benjamin Nanjam 14:59.11 seconds. Buchannan ran 16:51.76 seconds, to finish ahead of teammate Garfield Gordon 16.59.05 seconds.
The mile relays were the last assault unleashed by the Jamaicans, coming away victors in all the four finals. The U-18 Girls, anchored by Sanique Walker, ran home in 3:39.31 seconds.
The Boys final was a replica of last week ISSA/Grace Kennedy Champs final, and once again Christopher Taylor obliged on anchor and led home his team in 3:12.54 seconds.
The quartet of Semoy Hemmings, Junelle Bromfield, Tiffany James and Satanya Wright had no match in the U-20 final, winning comfortably in 3:34.84 seconds. The Boys closed the championship with a bang. The team of Nathan Brown, Timor Barrette, Juavaney James and anchor man Akeem Bloomfield wrapped things up with 3:10.49 seconds.
The grand total of 42 Gold , 28 Silver ,16 Bronze medals fell 2 medals shy of equalling last year’s 88 medals won at three day championships in St Kitts and Nevis.
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