The CARIFTA trials, which were held at the National Stadium in Kingston over the weekend, showcased some stellar performances from Jamaica’s track and field athletes.
Leading the line were Javorne Dunkley and Thieanna-Lee Terrelonge, who both emerged as standouts on the second day of the three-day trials after securing victories in the Under-20 boys’ and girls’ 100m events, respectively.
Dunkley, who is a part of the Elite Performance Track Club, stormed to an electrifying 10.32-second sprint to secure the gold, while Edwin Allen High’s Terrelonge clocked an impressive 11.25 seconds to dominate her event.
In the Under-17 category, Kingston College’s Nyrone Wade claimed victory in the 100m with an impressive 10.49 seconds, and Wolmer’s High School for Girls’ standout, Natrece East, secured the girls’ Under-17 crown in 11.62 seconds. She also claimed another win in the 200m, stopping the clock at 23.86 seconds to retain the title, beating the St. Jago High pair of Shannia Campbell (24.27 seconds) and Adora Campbell (24.29 seconds).
Corporate area champion Gary Card of Wolmer’s won the Under-20 boys’ 200m final in a new personal best of 20.79 seconds, easily defeating Muschett High’s Johan-Ramaldo Smythe in 21.19 and Munro College’s Romario Hines in 21.26. In comparison, Shanoya Douglas of Muschett High clinched victory in the Under-20 girls’ 200m with a remarkable time of 22.85 seconds.
In the Under-20 400m event, Marcinho Rose of Kingston College displayed a lifetime-best performance, clocking 46.36 seconds to claim the win, and Hydel’s Abigail Campbell won the girls’ Under-20 400m race in a personal-best time of 52.84 seconds.
Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar dominated the boys’ Under-17 400m with a time of 47.65 seconds, while Hydel’s Nastassia Fletcher set a lifetime-best of 54.70 seconds to clinch victory in the girls’ Under-17 400m. Fletcher also won the 400m hurdles in a time of 1:02.34 to complete a double victory.
Robert Miller of Calabar claimed victory in the boys’ Under-17 400m hurdles in 52.74 seconds, defeating St. George’s College’s Francisco Williams (53.64) and Edwin Allen’s Orando Pine (54.28).
Shamer Blake of Elite Performance took the boys’ Under-20 400m hurdles in 51.01, while Kelly Ann Carr of Edwin Allen, who placed third in the 400m, won the girls’ Under-20 400m hurdles in 58.40 seconds.
Calabar High’s Shaquane Gordon also ran a world Under-20 leading time of 13.32 seconds to successfully defend his Under-20 110m hurdles title, and Malayia Duncan of St. Jago High dominated the girls’ Under-17 100m hurdles, clocking 13.21 seconds.
Meanwhile, in the 1500m events, Edwin Allen’s Rickeisha Simms and Jamaica College’s Kemario Bygrave emerged victorious in the Under-20 categories. Simms clocked 4:31.33 minutes, and Bygrave raced to a personal-best time of 4:01.54. He also impressed in the boys’ Under-20 800m, leading all qualifiers with a time of 1:53.08.
The 51st edition of the CARIFTA Games is scheduled to occur at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada, from March 30 to April 1.
