Jamaica won the three-day CARIFTA Games championships with 78 Medals, including 30 gold, 27 silver, and 21 bronze. This was well ahead of second-placed The Bahamas, which had 37 medals, 16 gold, 13 silver, and 8 bronze. Trinidad and Tobago rounded out the top three spots with 25 Medals, including 9 gold, 6 silver, and 10 bronze.
The 52nd edition of the CARIFTA Games began on April 18 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The annual event saw participation from countries such as Antigua, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, Trinidad, and Tobago. In addition, Guadeloupe, Haiti, and the US Virgin Islands also participated.
The opening ceremony welcomed junior athletes from 28 Caribbean countries and dependencies to an event described by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe at the opening as athletics’ “most important junior competition in the world.”
The ceremony featured a vibrant display of Caribbean culture, followed by a parade of all athletes who entered the stadium bearing national flags.
Athletes competed in under-17 and under-20 categories across sprints, middle and long-distance races, relays, hurdles, jumps, throws, and combined events such as the heptathlon and decathlon.
However, Jamaica’s junior athletes are still the kings and queens of Caribbean track and field. They won their 39th straight and 47th overall in the championships.
Other notable finishes include Grenada, with 13 medals; Antigua and Barbuda, with 5 medals; and St. Lucia, with 4 medals. Barbados finished with 7 medals, with just one gold medal included, and the US Virgin Islands closed with 2 gold medals. In total, 20 nations made the medal table.
Some of the races include the girls’ Under-17 Javelin Throw Final, with Zonique Charles of Antigua and Barbuda (46.29m) at the top, Tatiana Sousa of Bermuda (42.24m) in second, and Eboni Brathwaite of Barbados (39.16m) in third.
Girls’ Under 20 High Jump Final, where Jamaica’s Danielle Noble (1.80m) and Shanniqua Williams (1.80m) took gold and silver, respectively. The bronze medal went to Jah’kyla Morton of BVI (1.70m).
Boys’ Under 17 Long Jump Final, Amani Phillips (7.49m) took gold, Michael Graham (7.33m) took silver, both from Jamaica, and T&T’s Michal Paul (7.03m) got bronze.
Girls’ Under 20 Discuss Throw Final, Annae Mackey of Bahamas (53.87m) got gold, Shamoyea Morris (50.60m), and Marla-Kay Lampart (50.35m) of Jamaica got silver and bronze.
Girls’ Under 17 100m Hurdles Final, Jamaica’s Malaysia Duncan (13.34) and Mikayla Russell (13.71) got gold and silver, and Jasmine Thompson of Bahamas (14.33) with bronze.
Girls’ Under 20 100m Hurdles Final, Tiana Marshall of Jamaica (13.50) gold, Maya Rollins of Barbados (13.80) silver and Bryana Davidson of Jamaica (13.82) bronze.
Boys’ Under 17 110m Hurdles Final, Jahcario Wilson of Bahamas (13.70) gold, Brandon Bennett of Jamaica (14.08) silver and Mark-Daniel Allen of Jamaica (14.30) bronze.
Boys’ Under 20 110m Hurdles Final Shaquane Gordon (13.19R) and Daniel Clarke (13.21R), both from Jamaica with gold and silver, and Tahj Brown of Bahamas (13.82) bronze.
Girls’ Under 17 800m Final, Alikay Reynolds (2:12.57) and Kevongaye Fowler (2:14.01) of Jamaica took gold and silver, and Shian Lewis (2:15.03) of T&T got bronze.
Boys’ Under 17 800m Final, Brion Scott of T&T (1:56.48) gold, Luke Plummer of Jamaica (1:58.13) silver and Yohance Carty of Jamaica (1:58.16) bronze.
Girls’ Under 20 800m Final, Michelle Smith of US Virgin Islands (2:07.23) gold, Cindy Rose (2:08.49) and Jovi Rose (2:10.97)of Jamaica with silver and bronze. Boys’ Under 20 800m Final, Shavan Jarrett of Jamaica (1:51.19) gold, D’Angelo Brown of Grenada (1:51.21) silver and Aaron Morris of Barbados (1:51.90) bronze.
Boys’ Under 20 Triple Jump Final, Chavez Penn (16.14m) and Edwards Michael-Andre (15.66m), both of Jamaica, got gold and silver, while Rodel Avant Greene of Guyana (15.50m) got bronze.
Boys’ Under 17 Discuss Throw Final, Kamari Kennedy (60.87mR) and Brandon Lawrence (49.00m), both of Jamaica, took gold and silver, and Kaiden Kemp of Bahamas (47.71m) bronze.
Boys’ Under 17 200m Final, Eagan Neely of Bahamas (21.22) gold, Tiondre Frett of BVI (21.52) silver and Dahrion Belgrave of Barbados (21.68) bronze.
Girls’ Under 20 200m Final, Shanoya Douglas of Jamaica (23.02) gold, Sole Fredrick of T&T (23.43) silver and Sabrina Dockery of Jamaica (23.45) bronze. Boys’ Under 20 200m Final, Jayden Green of Barbados (20.93) gold, Tyreece Foreman (20.95), and Junior Galimore (21.01), both of Jamaica with silver and bronze.
Boys’ Under 20 5000m Final, Wyndel Beyde (15:58.94) gold, Christiaan Jansen (15:59.99) silver, both of Aruba and Fynn Armstrong of Barbados (16:13.91) bronze. Girls’ Open Heptathlon Final, Tenique Vincent of T&T (5053) gold, Clementine Carias of Guadeloupe (4701) silver and Aaliyah Evans of Bahamas (4625) bronze.
