By Anthony Foster in Fort-de-France, Martinique
Jamaica won a record 88 medals, as the 43rd Carifta Games came to an end here on Monday night in Fort de France, Martinique.
On Monday the final day, Jamaica added 32 medals, winning three of the four 200m runs, with similarities in the 800's and the 4x400m relays, to end with 42 gold, 34 silver and 12 bronze.
Trinidad & Tobago finished second in the medal count with 6 gold, 7 silver and 12 bronze, while Barbados ended third with 5 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze.
Rounding out the top ten on the medals table was Guyana 3 gold and 1 silver; Guadeloupe 3 gold and 8 bronze; Dominica 2 gold; Bahamas 1 gold, 8 silver and 11 bronze; Grenada 1 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze; Bermuda 1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze and St. Lucia 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
In the 800m finals, Ryan Butler, Monique McPherson and Kevon Robinson led home three, 1-2 finishes, for Jamaica.
Butler, who left it until the final 200m, finished strong in 1:55.61 ahead of his teammate Ryan Dunkley 1:56.03 and Justin Pinder of Bahamas 1:56.37.
McPherson led from the front to take the Under-20 girls 800m in 2:09.85, ahead of her teammate Sasha-Gaye Whyte 2:13.19 and Cheryl Farial of Guadeloupe 2:13.29.
Robinson, who also waited until the last 200m to make his move, crossed the line in 1:51.02 mins just ahead of his teammate Rajay Hamilton, 1:51.05 and Claudius Russell of Bahamas, 1:51.86.
In the two lap Under-18 girls event, Faheemah Scraders of Bermuda spoiled the Jamaicans' party with 2:10.68. The Jamaican pair of Junelle Broomfield 2:10.79 and Britnie Dixon 2:13.33 were next to the line.
Jamaica also dominated the 200m finals with six medals, which included three golds.
Michael O'Hara, the World Youth champion, stepped up to win the Under-20 boys final in 20.50 ahead of teammate Jevaughn Minzie 20.56, with Levi Cadogan of Barbados finishing third in 20.64
Natalliah Whyte, who won the Under-17 sprint double last year, topped the Under-18 girls 200m in 23.36, with her teammate Shellece Clark taking bronze in 23.61. Sada Williams of Barbados 23.43 got 2nd place.
Chad Walker 20.99 finished ahead of his Jamaican teammate Jhevaughn Matherson 21.13 and Bahamian Javan Martin 21.15 in the Under-18 boys 200m final
Kayelle Clarke of Trinidad & Tobago took the the U20 200m girls finals in 23.10 ahead of Kadecia Baird. The 400m champion from Guyana was in the lead with 10 meters to go when her legs came out from under her. She still managed to run a personal best and a Guyanese national record with a 23.13 clocking. Jamaica's Kadisha Dallas was third with 23.69.
In the sprint hurdles, Jamaica with Janeek Brown 13.48 and Sidney Marshall 13.62 finished 1-2 ahead of Jeminise Sade Parris (Turks) 13.79.
Jaheel Hyde, the World Youth champion, topped the boys Under-18 110mH field in 13.10secs, ahead of his Jamaican teammate Roje Chin Jackson 13.46 and Michael Nicholls of Barbados 13.69.
Hyde said, “the plan was to come out here and go below my PR 13.13, so therefore I am happy.” The mark, however, was a wind-assisted 2.2m/s.
“I found I am crashing into the hurdles a bit quicker than normal so what I do is to try and slow down a bit,” added Hyde as to the reason why he did not run faster.
“The Carifta Games is a success for me, because the aim coming in was to take home two individual gold medals.”
Akeela Jones of Barbados ended a seven-year career at Carifta with her first ever 100m hurdles victory in 13.55secs, to beat Peta-Gaye Williams of Jamaica 13.57 and Chrystie Lange of Guadeloupe 13.59
Jones described the victory as “fantastic” while adding “I have never won this event, so this time it feels really good to win the gold medal.”
She continued, “it’s something people don’t think I can do, but I can be the best at (the 100m hurdles).”
“Three gold medals, no record, but I am leaving with a bang,” said Jones, who won the high jump and long jump.
Wilhem Belocian of Guadeloupe 13.23, beat Jamaica’s Tyler Mason 13.25 and Ruebin Walters of Trinidad and Tobago 13.57 in the boys’ Under-20 110mH final.
Jamaica also finished 1-2 in the 5,000m final with Obrien Frith 15:48.51 and Romario Foote 15:51.66 mins.
Trinidad & Tobago closed out the Championships with Maceh Cedenio taking them to victory in the boys’ Under-20 4x100m in 3:06.02 ahead of Jamaica (3:07.71), who pocketed gold in the other three finals.
Jamaica won the U18 girls 4×4 finals in 3:37.65 mins, ahead of Bahamas 3:41.90 and Guyana 3:46.23; the U18 boys final in 3:12.63 ahead of Bahamas 3:13.16 and Trinidad and Tobago 3:13.77 and the girls U20 event in 3:38.20 over Trinidad and Tobago 3:46.11 and Bahamas 3:47.64
Jamaica with Olivia Leckford 44.41m and Isheka Binns 43.32m finished 1-2 in the U20 girls javelin final, so too did Glenfford Watson 52.00m and Demar Gayle 51.96 in the boys Under-20 discus.
Obrien Wasome of Jamaica won the boys long jump with a leap of 7.66m over Trinidad & Tobago’s Andweulle Wright 7.38m
