Tuesday 13, April-2004

by Sherrylyn Clarke in Bermuda

HAMILTON – The Barbadian athletes finally showed up in the very last session of the 33rd CARIFTA Games here at the National Sports Centre adding three more gold, one silver and a bronze to bring the overall tally to 11 on Sunday evening.

It was also the night world junior, world youth and Pan American junior champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica stopped the clock at 19.93 seconds to set a world junior record, bringing it down from the 20.13 seconds he set in Barbados last year. It also shattered his own CARIFTA mark of 20.43 seconds and he became the first male – senior or junior – to break the 20-second barrier in the 200 metres this year. The six-footer looked so easy as he made up the stagger in about five steps, then jogged over the line when he hadno one to push him. Later, when he was presented with the Austin Sealy Trophy for outstanding performance by IAAF area representative Amadeo Francis, Bolt promised to do his best at the upcoming Olympic Games.

Team Barbados jumped to second in the standings – based on gold medals – with five gold, two silver and three bronze medals, but on the count, would have tied for fourth with Grenada who also had 11 medals (3-4-4). Only Jamaica had more gold medals than Barbados, 37 to be exact, along with 23 silver and 19 bronze for their 79 medals. Trinidad and Tobago had 22 (4-7-11), The Bahamas 21 (3-7-11) and host country Bermuda had nine (4-2-3).

Things started to turn around during the sprint hurdles as the colours steadily improved. First it was Kimberly Stanford who won bronze in the Under-17 girls’ 100 metre hurdles, although her time was a disappointing 15 seconds. Jamaica’s Natasha Ruddock took gold in 14.35 seconds.

“I came out first was over the hurdles and I had a fast start. I just ran my race like my coach told me to. He just said remember everything I taught you,four-step drive phase and I just executed what I was taught at practice. I did my best, I came out with a bronze medal and I am satisfied with my performance,”Stanford said:

Kierre Beckles was seventh, her time suffering because she was too high over the hurdles, but Ronnie Griffith was up next and got silver in the Under-17 boys’ race in 13.83 seconds, behind Jamaican Akeem Smith in 13.60 seconds.

There was no Barbadian entrantin the Under-20 girls’ race which was won by Jamaican Latoya Greaves in 13.77 seconds. Barbados’ team captain Jesse King started the gold medals with his run in the Under-20 boys’ 110 metres event in 14.68 seconds.

“Before I ran, things were looking tight in the medals for Barbados so I told myself I must get a gold and put us up in the standings. The race was not a fast one. I had a lot of challenges, a lot of hitting went on. The Jamaican [Patrick Lee,14.69] and I had some hits over the hurdles, but I just kept my head on and went to the line.

King said there was never any doubt in his mind about taking the top prize, even when he hit the last hurdle.

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“The final hurdle is about 13.97 metres away from the finish line, that is about eight steps. It was just get to the line, get to the line. When I looked across I realised my torso was ahead of him and that was when I k I had won,” said the Pan American bronze medallist who is looking towards CAC, World Juniors.

Up next was Dario Alleyne who came off the line and picked off Guyana’s Dax Danns (21.94) to win the Under-17 boys’ 200 metres. Alleyne, who complained of a stomach upset, was disappointed with his time of 21.79 seconds since he was aiming for Usain Bolt’s 21.12 record.

Kyann Maynard completed the gold medal hattrick in the Under-17 girls’ javelin with 40.51 metres on her very first throw. It was not her best, but it was good enough to win. She had two foul throws after her spikes started sticking, and felt she could have thrown about 45 metres.

None of the other Barbadians got up for medals. Fourteen-year-old Shamaria Davis was sixth in the javelin with 31.73 metres; Damian Farmer was fifth in the 110 hurdles in 15.75 seconds; Ryan Ross did not finish the 5 000; Kimberley Cadogan was fourth in the Under-20 girls’ high jump at 1.70 metres; Akinwole Jordan was fifth in the 200 metres with 22.46; Liann Kellman was eighth in the Under-20 girls’ 200 metres with 24.48 seconds; while Ramon Gittens (21.48) and Kristian Yearwood (22.02) finished out of the medals in the samerace as Bolt.

The Under-20 boys’ 4x400 metres relay team was fourth and Karessa Farley fifth in the triple jump at 11.06 metres. Jamaican Kimberley Williams won that event and set the very first record, on her first jump with 12.53 metres, eclipsing the former mark of 12.18 metres.

Jamaica Wilbert Walker followed up silver medals in the Under-20 boys’ long Jump (7.49 metres) and triple jump (15.69m) in the triple pump, with agold in the grueling heptathlon with4 977 points.

Jamaica won all of the 800 metres except that of the Under-20 boys which Trinidadian Simeon Bovell won in 1 minute 52.78 seconds, going at a fairly fast clip. Vanessa Boyd won the Under-17 girls’ race in 2 minutes 21.66 seconds; Thean O’Connor the Under-17 boys’ race in 1:55.66 and Kayann Thompson the Under-20 girls’ event in 2:08.38. There were no Barbadians in the half mile.

Grenada’s Nathalia Vincent won her team’s third gold medal in the javelin when she took the Under-20 girls’ event in 45.56 metres.

Compliments of the Nation News