Jamaica's Alana Reid (centre) beams with pride alongsode Barbadian Kishawna Niles (right) and BVI's Adaejah Hodge.
Jamaica's rising sprint sensation, Alana Reid, delivered a stellar performance to claim the women’s 100m gold in a Caribbean sweep of the podium at the World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday.
Reid, who was a part of Jamaica’s relay team at the Paris Olympic Games, was always favoured as the class of the field, and she justified that favouritism with a storming run to earn Jamaica’s first medal of the five-day championships.
The 19-year-old’s win in 11.17s in a race that saw the Caribbean region dominate was a redemption of sorts, as she has upgraded her 200m bronze medal from the 2022 championships and once again underscored her status as one of the brightest young talents in Jamaican athletics.
Another young Olympian, Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands, closed fast to cop silver in 11.27s, while Barbadian Kishawna Niles took home the bronze in 11.37s.
Reid's gold medal was the culmination of a series of strong performances from the preliminary rounds, as she consistently demonstrated her composure under pressure and established herself as the athlete to beat.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Deandre Daley (10.33s) and Gary Card (10.44s) were beaten into fourth and sixth, respectively, in the men’s 100m final.
That race was won by South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza (10.19s), ahead of Thailand’s Puripol Boonson (10.22s) and another South African, Bradley Nkoana (10.26s).
Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago’s Janae De Gannes placed eighth in the women’s long jump final after mustering a best leap of 6.09m. Australia’s Delta Amidzovski (6.58m), American Sophia Beckmon (6.54m) and Poland’s Julia Adamczyk (6.34m) were the medal winners.
No Caribbean athlete made the men’s 400m final, as Jamaica’s Kemario Bygrave (47.56s) was fourth in semi-final one, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaden Clement failed to finish.
It was more of the same in semi-final two as Puerto Rico’s Jarell Cruz (47.26s) placed fourth, while Guyana’s Malachi Austin failed to finish.
Jamaica’s Shanque Williams, the Caribbean’s lone women’s semi-finalist, also missed out, as she placed seventh in her semi-final in 54.47s.
Elsewhere in the field, Brenden Vanderpool of the Bahamas, failed to progress to the men’s pole vault final after he placed 14th in Group A qualifying with a best clearance of 4.80m.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Ja's Penn, Cuban duo fall short in triple jump final on medalless day for Caribbean; Hill, Douglas, Hodge among six through to respective finals
Jamaica’s Chavez Penn and Cuban duo Gian Baxter and Anthony Martinez failed to make the podium in the men’s triple jump final at the World Under-20 Championships on what was another topsy-turvy day for Caribbean athletes in Lima, Peru.
With only the three women’s 100m medals credited to the Caribbean so far at the five-day championships, there were slight hopes that the tally might have been increased on Thursday’s third day of action, but it was not to be.
Martinez (15.00m) and Penn (14.71m) struggled for rhythm in the hop, skip, and jump event and, as such, placed 10th and 11th, respectively, while Baxter, who got into the final eight, placed sixth with a best leap of 16.58m.
Prior to that, only Jamaica’s Kerrica Hill and Cuba’s Jocelyn Echazabal progressed in the women’s 100m hurdles final, and it will also be a Jamaica-Cuba combination for the men’s 110m hurdles final, as only Richard Hall and Yander Herrera safely navigated the semi-final round.
Echazabal (13.31s) booked her spot in the final with a second-place finish in semi-final one, while Jamaica’s Habiba Harris (13.64s) placed
Hill continued her charge towards the gold medal, as she won semi-final two in a flat 13.00s, while Maya Rollins (13.96s) of Barbados finished down the track.
On the men’s side, Jamaica’s Daniel Beckford (13.80s) missed out, as he placed sixth in his semi-final.
Cuba’s Herrera placed fourth in his semi-final, but his 13.62s was good enough for one of the two non-automatic qualifying spots, while Jamaican Hall (13.44s) placed second in semi-final three, behind American Ja’Kobe Tharp, who clocked a World Under-20 leading mark of 13.11s.
The sprint hurdles finals are scheduled for 5:05pm and 5:25pm Jamaica time on Friday.
Meanwhile, Adaejah Hodge of British Virgin Islands and Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas will be present in the women’s 200m final, while Carlos Brown of the Bahamas will be the sole Caribbean representative in the men’s event.
Hodge, the 100m silver medallist, topped semi-final two in an easy 23.18s, while Jamaica’s Sabrina Dockery (23.75s) placed fourth and missed out.
Douglas (23.34s) placed second in the third semi-final to secure her spot in the medal event.
Guyana’s Jackson Clarke (21.88s), Jamaica’s Romario Hines (21.68s) and Barbadian Aragorn Straker (21.30s), finished seventh, fourth and fifth in their respective semi-finals and missed out, as Brown Jr (21.19s) placed third and booked one of the fastest non-automatic qualifying spots.
The 200m finals are scheduled for 6:35pm Jamaica time also on Friday.
Defending champion Kerrica Hill fastest through to 100m hurdles semis at World U-20 Champs; Hodge, Douglas among winners in 200m heats
Defending champion Kerrica Hill was the fastest woman through to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m hurdles on day three of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru on Thursday.
The 19-year-old, who has raced sparingly this season, produced a comfortable 13.18 to win the first of eight heats on Thursday morning.
Joining her in the semis will be Barbados’ Maya Alexis Rollins and Jamaica’s Habiba Harris who ran 13.71 and 13.74 to finish fourth and second in heats eight and seven, respectively.
The Men’s sprint hurdles saw Jamaicans Richard Hall and Daniel Beckford both advance to the semi-finals.
Hall was the tenth-fastest qualifier overall after running 13.58 to win the third heat while Beckford advanced in a non-automatic spot after running 13.74 for fourth in heat one.
Elsewhere, 100m silver medallist Adaejah Hodge was the fastest through to the 200m semi-finals after winning her heat in 23.19.
Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas and Sabrina Dockery also advanced to the semis scheduled for later on Thursday.
Douglas ran 23.51 to comfortably win her heat while Dockery ran 23.80 for second in hers.
In the Men’s equivalent, Guyana’s Jackson Clarke won heat two in 21.37 to advance while Bahamian Carlos Brown Jr finished second in heat six in 21.31 to get through.
Barbados’ Aragon Straker (21.23) and Jamaica’s Romario Hines (21.35) both advanced as non-automatic qualifiers.
Ja’s Williams, Guyana’s Autsin headline Caribbean representatives through to 400m semis; USVI's Smith headlines 400m hurdles qualifiers
Jamaica’s Shanque Williams will be the lone Caribbean representative in the women’s 400m semi-finals at the World Under-20 Championships, while Guyana’s Malachi Austin headlines four semi-finalists in the men’s event following contrasting performances in the morning session in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday.
It was an overall tough session for Caribbean representatives to start day two of the five-day championships, as only three men and three women progressed to the 400m hurdles semis, while only Jamaica’s Jade-Ann Dawkins progressed to the triple jump final.
Williams was the only athlete to progress to the semi-finals. She placed third in the sixth and final heat in 54.22s.
Prior to that, Cuba’s Camila Rodriguez (55.24s) and T’anna Liburd (55.91s) of St Kitts and Nevis were fifth and seventh in heat one, as both missed out.
Guyana’s Narissa McPherson also found the going tough in heat two, where she placed fifth in 54.67s. The same is true for Jamaica’s Abrina Wright (54.63s), who was sixth in heat three.
Another Guyanese, Tianna Springer (54.49s) and Tyhra Charles (55.87s) of St Vincent and the Grenadines, placed fourth and eighth, respectively, in heat five, as they also missed out.
On the men’s side of action, Puerto Rico’s Jarell Cruz (47.68s) progressed from heat two, where he placed third, while Jaylen Bennett (47.88s) of St Kitts and Nevis and Jamaica’s Jabari Matheson (49.34s) were fourth and fifth and missed out.
Another Jamaican, Kemario Bygrave, booked a spot in the semi-finals as he placed third in heat three in 47.39s.
Grenada’s Joshem Sylvester (48.49s) was sixth in heat four and missed out, along with Trinidad and Tobago’s Kyrell Thomas (48.02s), who placed sixth in heat six.
However, Guyana’s Austin (46.92s) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaden Clement (47.63s) both progressed from heat five, where they placed second and third, respectively.
The semi-finals are scheduled for 5:45pm Jamaica time on Wednesday.
Earlier, only three Caribbean athletes progressed to the women’s 400m hurdles semi-finals following contrasting performances in their respective heats.
Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands led all qualifiers as she topped heat two in a brisk 57.85s to book her spot in the next round, while Kei-Mahri Hanna (1:04.84) of the Bahamas finished down the track.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jenna-Marie Thomas (1:01.91) also missed out after she placed seventh in heat three, so too did Jamaica’s Deschanique Douglas (1:05.43), who placed ninth in heat five.
Jamaica’s Kelly-Ann Carr (1:00.61) and Haiti’s Gloria Guerrier (1:00.65) both progressed from heat four after they placed second and third, respectively, behind Australia’s Alesha Bennetts (59.04s).
Interestingly, the Caribbean will also have only three representatives in the men’s semi-finals, led by Jamaica’s Daniel Wright, who topped heat two in 51.42s to advance. Trinidad and Tobago’s Dorian Charles (53.65s) placed fifth in the same heat and missed out.
Cheyne West, another Trinidad and Tobago representative, placed fourth in heat five in a new personal best 52.18s, which was good to advance as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers.
The next non-automatic qualifying spot was secured by Jamaican Trevoy Smith, who clocked 52.15s for fourth in heat six.
Meanwhile, Taysha Stubbs, the Caribbean’s lone representative in the women’s javelin failed to progress. She placed 11th in qualifying Group A with a best mark of 44.28m.
In the women’s triple jump, Jamaica’s Jade-Ann Dawkins will be the lone Caribbean representative in the final, as she placed fourth in qualifying Group B with a mark of 12.82m.
Her compatriot, Jaeda Robinson (12.53m) and Cuba’s Ariday Giron (12.21m), both missed out on the final after finishing 13th and 15th in qualifying Group A.
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