Trinidad and Tobago started day two (Easter Sunday) of the 2024 Carifta Games at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium, St George’s, Grenada seventh on the medal standings after raking in seven medals (four silver and three bronze) on Saturday.
Tyrique Vincent's first-round jump of 7.00 metres in the boys' Under-17 long jump event was the leading mark for most of the competition until Bahamas' Joshua Williams surpassed his effort during the sixth and final attempt. The Bahamian produced the winning leap of 7.03 metres to snatch the gold medal.
However, the result was delayed due to a protest from the Cayman Islands, however, it was upheld and ratified with the bronze medal being secured by Rodeeki Walters of Jamaica.
Sprinter Kadeem Chinappo’s silver in the boys’ under-17 100-metre race was one of three medals won on the track. Chinapoo raced to the finish line in 10.59 seconds behind Jamaica’s gold medallist, Nyron Wade who won the event in 10.43 seconds. The bronze medal was won by another Jamaican, Malike Nugent in 10.74 seconds. T&T's second athlete in that final was Cameron Nathaniel Powell, who finished fifth in 10.87 seconds.
Keneisha Shelbourne was a silver medallist in the girls’ under-20 triple jump. Shelbourne, an under-20 high jump bronze medallist in 2023, in Nassau Bahamas switched her focus to the long jump for this year's edition and produced a distance of 12.49 metres on her second attempt to hold the second position. The event's eventual gold medallist was Jamaica's Richelle Stanley, who opened her competition with a 12.58m leap which none of the other challenges could conquer. Jamaican Dejanae Bruce secured the bronze with a distance of 12.20 metres.
T&T also celebrated silver in the girls’ under-17 shot put, a repeat performance by Peyton Winter who also placed second last year.
Winter opened with a 13.15 metres heave to lead the field from rounds one to three. However, in the fourth round, the eventual winner, Jamaica’s Jamelia Young took the lead with 14.25 metres and never surrendered it on her way to securing the gold medal. Terrell McCoy of the Bahamas took the bronze with her best throw of 14.11 metres.
T&T’s three bronze came via the talented Shian Lewis, who in the under-17 girls’ 1500 metres final when clocked 4:48.58 seconds. The event was won by Jamaica’s Dallia Fairweather in 4: 45.86 seconds with countrywoman Alikay Reynolds third in 4: 46.14 seconds.
In the under-20 girls’ 1500 metres test, T&T's Kayleigh Forde crossed in 4:41.71 seconds to snatch the bronze as Jamaica claimed a 1-2 in the event with gold for Rickeisha Simms in 4:31.94 and silver for Kaydeen Johnson at 4:32.49.
Earlier in the day Vincent’s twin sister Tenique won bronze in the girls’ under-17 high jump. Vincent cleared the bar at 1.68 metres while the event was won by Zavien Bernard who cleared the 1.71 m mark on her first attempt and Bahamian Alexandria Komolafe needed two tries to clear the same height finishing in second position.
On Easter Sunday morning, T&T’s Keeran Sriskandarajah and Jahfa Woodley head into Monday’s Boys’ Under-20 800 metres race as the two fastest qualifiers following their performances in the preliminary rounds at the Carifta Games in St George’s, Grenada on Sunday morning.
Woodley upped the ante in the event’s second heat out of three when he clocked 1: 54.92 seconds to win and claim one of two automatic spots available in the final. Jamaica’s Yoshane Bowen claimed the other automatic spot, placing second in 1:55.32. And one non-automatic spot went to Grenada’s Deangelo Brown who finished in 1:55.47 seconds.
However, in heat three, T&T's Sriskandarajah produced the fastest overall time behind a controlled 1:54.70 seconds run to also win his heat.
He was followed by Brandon Hinds of Barbados in 1:55.05 and a non-automatic qualifier Javon Roberts of Guyana, third in 1:55.64.
The boys’ under-20 800m final will take place at 5:25 pm on Monday.
Before that, T&T will have representation in the girls’ and boys’ 800m under-17 finals.
Bronze medallist in the girls’ 1500 metres on Saturday, Lewis returned in the 800 metres run and placed second in 2: 21. 16 seconds in heat one, giving way to Jamaica’s Kevongaye Fowler, who won in 2:17.04 second and followed home by Bahamas’ Jade Knowles in 2:22.21 in third place. The medals for this event will be decided on Monday at 4:45 pm.
Brion Scott will also chase a top-three medal in the under-17 boys’ final at 5:05 pm, after he stormed to third place in the preliminary round, heat two on Sunday in 2:01.94 seconds.
It was enough for one of three automatic spots. Kaidon Persaud of Guyana was first in 1:59.81 followed by Jamaica’s Alejandro Palmer in 2:01.12 seconds.
Despite finishing fourth, a non-automatic spot went to Jaylon St Louis of Grenada in 2:02.19 seconds.
Meanwhile, the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist Jaidi James finished just outside of the medals in the boys' under-20 long jump when he finished fourth with a best distance of 6.78 metres in the final. Jamaica's Rickoy Hunter produced a sensational win in the event, producing 7.48 metres on his final attempt to overtake the previous leader, Bernard Kemp from the Bahamas who measured 7.40 metres.
Bronze in the event to Teon Haynes of Barbados with 7.32 metres.
Day 1 Medal Count
Country*Gold*Siver*Bronze*Total
1. Jamaica*12*9*7*28
2. Bahamas2*3**2*7
3. Guyana3*0*0*3
4. Guadeloupe*1*1*0*2
5. Antigua and Barbuda1*0*2*3
6. Trinidad and Tobago*0*4*3*7
7. Grenada*0*1*2*3
8. St Kitts and Nevis*0*1*0*1
9. Aruba*0*1*0*1
10. Turks and Caicos*0*0*1*1
11. Bermuda*0*0*1*1
12. Martinique*0*0*1*1
13. Barbados*0*0*1*1
