CAC JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

HOSTS TRINIDAD and Tobago collected 15 medals on the opening day of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Junior Track and Field Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Friday.

The local squad got two gold medals, seven silver and six bronze.

Jamaica led the medal count with 16 (ten gold, two silver and four bronze) and Mexico third with ten (two gold, four silver and four bronze).

Annie Alexander opened Trinidad and Tobago’s account with gold in the Girls’ Under-20 discus, with a championship record distance of 45.62 metres, shattering the previous standard of 43.50m set by Denise Taylor of Bahamas 20 years ago.

Another TT thrower, Jodie Sutherland, took bronze with 39.03m, behind Alexander and silver medallist Pau Flores Pensaminento of Mexico, who registered a throw of 39.21m.

Gavyn Nero, triple gold medallist at this year’s CARIFTA Games, produced a late surge to win the Boys’ Under-17 1,500m in four minutes 2.95 seconds, with Matthew Spring of Bermuda 4:04.23 and Omar Coyopotl of Mexico 4:04.75 trailing.

Dreadlocked Pilar McShine got silver in the Girls’ Under-20 1,500m, crossing the finish line in four minutes 34.44 seconds, behind Jamaican Jodiann Richards 4:33.77 while Beverly Romas of Puerto Rico was third in 4:34.46.

The Jamaicans underlined their dominance in the 100 metres, winning all four races on the night.

Carrie Russell sped to gold in the Girls’ Under-17 with a time of 11.79 seconds, while TT’s Cadajah Spencer got the silver in 11.84 and Jamaica’s Danielle Jeffrey bronze in 11.97.

Another local, Kendall Bacchus, had to settle for bronze in the boys’ equivalent, clocking 10.73, with the Jamaican pair of Nickel Ashmeade 10.60 and Dexter Lee 10.68 prevailing. Tobago-born Semoy Hackett finished third in the Girls’ Under-20 sprint in 11.71, trailing Jamaica’s Schillonie Calvert 11.39 and Bahamas’ Sheniqua Ferguson 11.67.

World Under-18 Games medallist Keston Bledman collected silver in the Boys’ Under-20 event in 10.39, .06 seconds behind Jamaican Yohan Blake with Ramon Gittens of Barbados third in 10.56.

Janeil Bellille was second in the Girls’ Under-20 400m hurdles, in a time of 1:00.03, while Jamaican Sherene Pinnock won in a championship record time of 57.09 seconds and her compatriot Andrea Reid third in 1:00.50.

The Boys’ Under-20 version produced a close finish, as Barbadian Terry Marshall 53.21 nosing out TT’s Keston Toney 53.29 and Puerto Rico’s David Lopez 53.56 on the line.

Sparkle McKnight placed third in the Girls’ Under-17 300m hurdles, completing the distance in 43.36, behind Kierre Beckles of Barbados 41.55 and Krystal Bodie of the Bahamas 41.81.

Trinidad and Tobago earned silver and bronze medals in the Girls’ Under-17 shot put and high jump respectively.

In the shot put, Deandra Dottin of Barbados, who threw the iron at 11.95m, edged Hilenn James 11.94m for the gold, while Akeela Bravo was third in 11.77m.

And the high jump was another nail-biting affair, with Jamaica’s Misha-Gaye De Costa clearing the bar at 1.69m, followed by Jeanelle Ovid 1.63m and Deandra Daniel 1.60m.