Ten medals came T&T way on the final day of competition at the 48th Carifta Games at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in the Cayman Islands on Monday, to end with an overall tally of 24, to place third behind Jamaica (85) and the Bahamas (26).
The Jamaicans extended their uninterrupted dominance of the Games to 35 years as they collected 36 gold, 33 silver and 16 bronze, to finish ahead of the Bahamas who finished second with nine gold, seven silver and 10 bronze while T&T sealed four gold, eight silver and 12 bronze. An improvement for the national team, who won 17 medals (4 gold, 6 silver, 7 bronze) last year in the Bahamas when also placing third.
Six of those 10 medals on the final day were won in the relays, which was dominated by Jamaica, in the evening session to close off the premier annual junior track and field meet. On the field, T&T had two athletes reaching the podium in their respective events to add to the two medals won in the morning session, Tyriq Horsford's gold medal in the men's U-20 javelin (71.45m), his fifth on the trot, and Kelsey Daniel's silver in the men's U-20 triple-jump (15.14m).
In the opening relay event, T&T quartet of Reneisha Andrews, Shaniqua Bascombe, Karessa Kirton and Taejha Badal, running in that order, copped silver in the women's U-17 4x100m final. The local sprinters were efficient in their baton passing, crossing in 45.73 seconds to be narrowly beaten by the Jamaican team (45.63).
In the men's version of the race, Anthony Diaz, Shakeem Mc Kay, Miguel Taylor and Jordan Pope went over the line third in 42.45 to follow Jamaica team, who clocked 41.59 and the Bahamas (42.18).
Facing the starter next was the foursome of Leah Bernard, Akilah Lewis, Naomi Campbell and Ayla Stanisclaus, who sprinted to second place in 45.11 in the Women's U-20 4x100m relay medal race which was won in 44.25 by the Jamaicans, who were led off by Briana Williams. It was the third gold medal for the Ato Boldon-coached Williams, who completed the sprint double in a season’s best and World U-20 leading 22.89 to secure the Austin Sealy Award for the most outstanding performer for the second year in a row.
Next up was the men's race, which saw T&T Adell Colthrust, Kion Benjamin, Dominic Cole and Nicholas Wilson just miss out on reaching the podium after a fourth-place finish in 40.51.
Later, T&T raced in three of the four 4x400m relays, winning a silver and two bronze. In the men's U-17 4x400m final, Jessiah Jones, Ryan Campbell, Rinaldo Moore and Pope partnered to place second in 3:18.71. This after, in the order of, Malika Coutain, Taejha Badal, Christie Maharaj and Natasha Fox placed third in the women's race 3.44.91.
In the Women's U-20 4x400m finale, Tamia Badal, Tatianna Matinez, Nicola Pesnell and Rae-Ann Serville also placed third with 3.41.67.
On the field, it was Jayden Scott and Ianna Roach, a former youth "Sportswoman of the Year", mounting the podium for bronze medals. Scott got his second medal of the three-day competition in the men's U-17 discus with a 47.50m-throw. On Saturday, Scott bagged bronze in the men's U-20 shot put (15.08m).
Roach repeated as the bronze-medallist in the women's U-20 shot put with her best throw measuring 13.51m.
Also competing on the field but not experiencing success were, Christopher Crawford, who placed sixth in the men's U-20 shot put with 16.48m; in the women's U-17 triple jump, Amber Mahew seventh in 10.04m and Shakira Kirk finished fourth in the women's U-17 discus with 39.17 and Lalenii Grant was fifth in the event with 37.40.
Heptathlon champion Safiya John just missed out on a medal, placing fourth in the women's U-20 100m hurdles in 14.25 while Tamia Badal followed her to the line in fifth with 14.52. In the lower age-group, Karessa Kirton placed fifth in the women's U-17 100m hurdles in a time of 14.37.
Justin Guy challenged the men's U-20 110m hurdles final and placed fifth in 13.72 while Tyrese Rawlins, who was slated to race in the event, did not start.
Genesis Joseph competed in the men's 5,000m and he finished fifth in 16:32.74.
Final medal count
Place*Country*Gold*Silver*Bronze*Total
1*Jamaica*36*33*16*85
2*Bahamas*9*7*10*26
3*T&T*4*8*12*24
4*Guyana*4*2*4*10
5*Barbados*3*4*4*11
6*Bermuda*3*1*2*6
7*British Virgin Islands*1*3*3*7
8*Grenada*1*2*4*7
9*Guadeloupe*1*1*2*4
10*Curacao*1*1*1*3
10*Martinique*1*1*1*3
12*Suriname*1*0*1*2
13*Dominica*0*1*2*3
14*St Vincent*0*0*3*3
15*Cayman*0*0*1*1
16*St Kitts*0*0*1*1