Nickecoy Bramwell was one of the star performers for the powerful Jamaican contingent which established a commanding lead at the end of the first day of the three-day 2024 Carifta Games inside the Kirani James Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada, on Saturday.
In their quest for a 38th consecutive triumph at the Carifta Games, Bramwell emerged Under-17 400m champion in a new Championship Record of 47.27 seconds, beating the 22-year-old record of 47.33 set by none other than his countryman, the all-time great, Usain Bolt.
Bramwell helped Jamaica to 28 medals on day one, comprising 12 gold, nine silver and seven bronze. That tally has them well ahead of Guyana with three gold medals, The Bahamas with two gold, three silver and two bronze, followed by the Cayman Islands in fourth place with one gold and a silver, with Antigua and Barbuda occupying fifth place with a gold medal and two bronze medals.
Bramwell mined gold in a dominant fashion ahead of Grenada’s Kemron Mathlyn with 47.96 seconds and Eagan Niely of the Bahamas in 48.16 seconds. Jamaica’s Paul Henry was fifth in 48.63 seconds.
There were two other Championship Records on the day, as Maleik Francis of Antigua and Barbuda threw 68.84m to land gold in the boys’ Under-17 javelin throw. He bettered the previous best of 64.31m set in 2019 by Bahamian Keyshawn Strachan.
Second in the event went to Jaheem Clarke of St. Kitts & Nevis with 56.09m and third went to Grenadian Delion John (54.70m).
The other Championship Record was established by Jackie Herrianne Pri Hyman of Guadeloupe in the girls’ Under-20 discus throw.
She hurled the implement 55.06m, well clear of the Jamaican pair of Dionjah Shaw (50.26m) and Najhada Seymoure (48.82m). The previous record of 54.19m was set in 2017 by Jamaica’s Fiona Richards.
Jamaica and surprise package Guyana shared honors in the 400m events. Alongside Bramwell, Jamaica was also successful in the girls’ Under-17 version as Natasha Fletcher won in 54.32 seconds ahead of Bahamian Keyezra Thomas (54.59) and Tyra Fenton of Antigua and Barbuda in 54.89 seconds.
Jamaica’s second entrant in the final, Tresha Lee Sutherland was sixth in 58.50 seconds.
Guyana accounted for both the boys’ and girls’ Under-20 sections. Tianna Springer won the girls’ version in 52.31secs, ahead of the Jamaican pair of Abigail Campbell and Shanique Williams with 52.85 and 53.03secs, respectively.
Malacho Auston won the boys’ equivalent in 46.35secs ahead of Marcinho Rose of Jamaica in 46.59secs and Grenada’s Joshiem Sylvester in 46.93secs. Jamaica’s Javaughn Pinnock false-started.
Guyana carried over their good fortune in the Under-17 girls’ 100m final as Athaleyha Hinskson won in 11.44secs, followed by Jamaica’s Adora Campbell in 11.6=52secs, and Barbadian Aniya Nurse in 11.76secs. Jamaica’s POshannalee Blake was fifth in 12.15secs.
Jamaica accounted for the Under-17 boys’ and Under-20 girls’ events, with Nyron Wade triumphing in 10.43secs in the former. His countryman Malike Nugent was third in 10.74secs, as they were separated by Trinidad and Tobago’s Kadeem Chinapro in 10.59secs.
Sabrina Dockery led a one-two finish for Jamaica in the girls’ Under-20. Her 11.26secs shocked her more fancied teammate Theianna Lee Terrelonge (11.32secs) with Geolyna Dowlye (11.64secs) claiming third.
The boys’ Under-20 event proved a proud moment for the Cayman Islands with a one-two finish. Defending champion Devonte Howell easily retained his crown in 10.15secs, with Jaiden Reid next in 10.34secs. Jamaica’s Javorne Dunkley claimed the bronze in 10.34secs.
It was almost perfect domination from Jamaica in the 1500m finals, winning all four, and claiming three silver medals and a bronze, to boot.
In the Under-17 girls’ event, Dallia Fairweather (4:45.86 minutes) grabbed gold ahead of Alikay Reynolds (4:46.14mins) and Shian Lewis of Trinidad and Tobago in 4:48.58mins.
Aruba’s Wyndel Boyde (4:12.80mins) claimed silver to separate the Jamaican duo of gold medalist Shemar Green (4:11.91mins) andSekani Brown (4:15.21mins) in the boys’ Under-17 final.
The girls’ Under-20 final was another quiniela as Rickeisha Simms won in 4:31.94mins, followed by Jaydeen Johnson in 4:32.49mins, and Kaleigh Forde of Trinidad and Tobago in 4:41.71mins.
And it was another familiar result at the end of the boys; Under-20 event, as Kemario Bygrave won in 3:58.10mins, ahead of Jaquan Coke in 3:50.38mins and Bermuda’s Jake Brislane in 3:58.83mins.
Jamaica won the first final of Day One when Zavien Bernard claimed gold in the girls’ Under-17 high jump final with a leap of 1.71m, the same height accredited to Alexandria Komolafe of the Bahamas. Trinidad and Tobago’s Tenique Vincent copped the bronze medal with a height of 1.68m.
Jamaica’s Jamelia Young won the Under-17 girls’ shot put gold with a distance of 14.25m. Payton Winter of Trinidad and Tobago was second with 14.21m and Terrell McCoy was third with 14.11m. Young’s teammate could fare no better than 8th place with 10.26m.
In the boys’ Under-10 boys’ discus throw, Shaiquan Dunn of Jamaica proved best of the rest as he landed the implement at 61.47m on his last effort to bea his teammate Chad Hendricks with 58.73m, and Antwon Walkin of Turks and Caicos with 52.77m.
Richelle Stanley continued Jamaica’s brilliant collection of gold medals on the day, as she cut the sand at 12.58m in the Under-20 triple jump final. Keneisha Shelbourne (12.49m) of Trinidad and Tobago was second with Stanley’s teammate Dejanae Bruce taking third place with 12.20m.
The Bahamas has been traditionally strong in the field events and on Saturday they showed just why, as they occupied the first two places in the boys’ pole vault Open. Brendon Venderpool win with 5.50, ahead of Tyler Cash with 4.45m, and Martinique’s Lucas Ledoux with 4.10m.
And Bahamas realized further success in the boys’ Under-17 long jump final, as Joshua Williams cut the sand at 7.03m to pip Trinidad and Tobago’s Tyrique Vincent (7.00m) and Jamaica’s Rodeekie Walters with 6.97m. Jamaica’s other entrant, Amani Phillips, was 10th with 6.37m.
The competition continued with Day Two action on Sunday.
Carifta Medals Table after Day One
Country G S B Total
Jamaica 12 9 7 28
Guyana 3 0 0 3
Bahamas 2 3 2 7
Cayman Islands 1 1 0 1
Antigua and Barbuda 1 0 2 3
Guadeloupe 1 0 0 1
Trinidad and Tobago 0 4 3 7
Grenada 0 1 2 3
St. Kitts & Nevis 0 1 0 1
Aruba 0 1 0 1
Turks & Caicos 0 0 1 1
Bermuda 0 0 1 1
Martinique 0 0 1 1
Barbados 0 0 1 1
Read: Jamaica’s junior athletics stars set to shine at 2024 Carifta Games in Grenada
