Outstanding Jamaica 16-year-old athlete, Briana Williams spearheaded a record-breaking run by the Jamaica’s girls under-17 sprint relay team, as Jamaica swept all four headline relay events on day two of the 47th CARIFTA Games in The Bahamas on Sunday.
Relays
Just 24 hours after Williams, who is based in the US, smashed a two-decade old 100m record at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, she helped the relay quartet who to win the 4 x 100meter relay in a time of 44.95 seconds, breaking the old record of 45.05 also set by the Jamaicans nine years ago in St Lucia. Other members of the relay team were Sashieka Steele, Serena Cole and Tia Clayton.
The Bahamian team finished second in 46.24 seconds while Cayman Islands picked up bronze in 47.74.
In the boy’s equivalent, the Jamaican team of Jahvel Granville, Vashaun Vascianna, Rajay Morris and Terrique Stennett won in a time of 41.04, leaving second placed Cayman Islands far behind in 44.29secs and Turks and Caicos third in 44.34.
Jamaica also had things much their own way in the Under-20s as Ockera Myrie, Michae Harriott, Ray-Donna Lee and Amoi Brown clocked 44.73 to dismiss the threat from the Bahamas who were second in 45.14. Martinique crossed the line third in 46.48.
The team of Ryiem Robertson, Christopher Taylor, Xavier Nairne and Michael Bentley then excited in the boys equivalent, holding off a strong challenge from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados to bring the baton home in an impressive 39.56.
T&T were second in 40.29 while the Barbadians were close on their heels for bronze, clocking 40.43.
400-meter hurdles
Jamaica’s superiority also extended to the 400 meter hurdles, where they impressively swept all four, headlined by Shiann Salmon’s record-breaking efforts in the girls Under-20 event.
She sped to a time of 56.22 to breaking fellow Jamaican Shannon Kalawan’s old mark of 56.29 established in Grenada two years ago. Her compatriot Sanique Walker was second in.57.97. .
Reanda Richards of St Kitts and Nevis was third in 59.83.
Jamaican Rovane Williams won the boys Under-20 400 meter hurdles in 50.69 seconds, from Curacao’s Ramsey Angela (50.75), with Jamaican Malik James-King finishing third in 51 seconds flat.
In the Under-17s. Devonte Archer clinched the boys title in 52.85 while Barbadian Kyle Gale, disqualified after breaking Usain Bolt’s 16-year-old 400m record on Saturday, redeemed himself somewhat with silver.
Calisha Taylor, meanwhile, clocked 1:01.04 to take the girls equivalent with hometown favorite Indea Carthwright second in 1:02.17.
Jamaica’s dominance was similar to that of the opening day when they swept the 1500s and won three of the four 100 meters sprints.
Field events
While the field events were not spared from the Jamaicans golden touch, it was Martinique’s Baptiste Thiery who shone when he set a new mark in the boys Under-20 pole vault, measuring 5.05 meters to break the old mark of 4.65 set in Curacao last year by Glenn Kunst.
However, Jamaican Ackelia Smith took the girls Under-17 long jump with a leap of 5.91 meters while teammate Romaine Beckford measured two meters to capture the boys high jump in the same age category.
Also in the Under-17s, Zackery Dillon threw 16.40 metres to win the boys shot put.
Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock leapt 7.46m to win the boys Under-20 long jump, with teammate Safin Wills taking silver in 7.28.
The Under-20 triple jump saw Leone Farquharson measure 12.24m to take gold with fellow Jamaican Lotavia Browne clinching silver in 12.23.
Earlier in the day, Shanice Hutson of Barbados won gold in the girls Under-17 discuss when she threw 41.5.
