The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association has laid the blame squarely at the feet of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission for World Athletics' decision not to ratify the World U20 Women 4x100m relay record set on April 17, 2022, during the 49th staging of the Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston.
On that night, the quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton scorched the track in 42.58s eclipsing the time of 42.94 also set by Jamaica at the World U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya in August 2021.
However, World Athletics rejected the time set in Kingston citing that not all four athletes were subjected to anti-doping control. JADCO, in a statement on Wednesday, said they only tested three athletes after the record was set because one of the athletes had been tested the day before after she had won her event. Hence, they took the decision not to test her again.
However, in a statement released later Wednesday, the JAAA, which had contracted JADCO for the three-day meet, made it clear that the Jamaican anti-doping agency did not adhere to their instructions.
“It is a fact that all four athletes were notified by the Jamaica Anti-doping Commission (JADCO) officials and presented themselves to the anti-doping station within the required time window to be tested. Unfortunately, JADCO took the decision, unknown to the JAAA and the NACAC’s Anti-Doping Delegate, not to test the athlete based on a JADCO standard. This was in direct contradiction to oral and written instructions by the JAAA,” the athletics governing body stated.
“It is to be noted that JADCO is the agency that performs anti-doping testing on our athletes both in and out of competition on behalf of the JAAA and was contracted to do so at the NACAC 2022 Carifta Games.”
The JAAA said it sent the performance along with the supporting documentation to World Athletics for ratification and it was only after they did so that it was pointed it that one of the athletes, Tina Clayton, who won the U20 Girls 100m, was not tested on the night of the relay world record.
The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) has admitted that it had only tested three of the four members of Jamaica’s Women U20 4x100m relay team on April 17, 2022, after they had established the now rejected world record set at the 2022 Carifta Games held at the National Stadium in Kingston
Meantime, Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), in describing the development as saddening, has indicated that his administration is planning to appeal the World Athletics decision to not ratify the record.
“We are saddened by the situation that four young ladies would be denied the record. The matter is still at a sensitive stage and we would have done the necessary appeals. We are still hopeful that the record will be ratified at a later stage,” he said.
World Athletics has rejected the ratification of the world record because not all members of the team were subjected to doping control. In a lengthy statement Wednesday, (JADCO) sought to explain the circumstances under which they failed to test all four members of the relay team.
“The event was won by the Jamaican team which was comprised of four female athletes. They completed the race with a world record of 42.58. Doping Control was conducted immediately on three of the female athletes,” the JADCO statement said.
“Since one of the athletes was already tested on the 16th of April 2022, a urine sample was not collected from this athlete on the 17th of April 2022. It is customary and in JADCO’s Best Practice in-competition, that if an athlete is tested today in-competition, the said athlete would not be tested the following day in-competition.”
JADCO claims it was instructed to carry out a specific number of tests for each day of the three-day championships that were being held in Jamaica for the first time since 2011.
“The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) was contracted by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) to 18 urine samples throughout the period of the 49th staging of the CARIFTA Games. The Commission was advised to carry 6 urine tests per day with testing being done on any athlete who achieved a national/world record.
On April 16, 2022, six athletes were tested – three Jamaican female athletes, two male Jamaican athletes and one male athlete from the Bahamas.
On April 17, the day the world record was broken, JADCO tested nine athletes – six Jamaican female athletes, one Jamaican male athlete, one female athlete from the US Virgin Islands and one male athlete from the Bahamas.
Six more athletes were tested on April 18, 2022 – three Jamaican male athletes, one Jamaican female athlete, one male athlete from Curacao and one female athlete from the Bahamas.
Going forward, JADCO said they will ensure that all athletes breaking records would be tested.
“The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission has recognized that World Athletics has declined to accept the result of the record-breaking performance of Jamaica’s Women’s U20 4x100m relay team on April 17, 2022, since one of the athletes previously tested by JADCO on April 16, 2022, was not tested on the day the record was broken,” the JADCO statement said.
“Whilst our testing conforms with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) protocols, going forward JADCO will ensure the testing of record-breaking athletes despite the frequency of testing.”
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Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands secured her status as the standout athlete of the meet with 200m gold as the 49th Carifta Games came to an end at the National Stadium in Kingston on Monday.
Hodge ran 23.43 to win the U-17 Girls 200m ahead of Jamaica’s Sabrina Dockery (24.25) and Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (24.64) and add to her gold medals in the 100m and long jump.
Jamaica’s Rickoy Hunter took gold in the U-17 Boys section with 22.13 ahead of St. Vincent’s Keo Davis (22.19) and Jamaica’s 400m champion Marcinho Rose (22.26).
Jamaica’s Brianna Lyston took gold in the Girls U-20 in 23.16 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Shaniqua Bascombe (24.18) and Jamaica’s Kaylia Kelly (24.33).
Jamaica’s Bryan Levell completed the sprint double with 21.18 to win the U-20 Boys ahead of teammate Sandrey Davison (21.35) and Grenada’s Nazzio John (21.70).
Bryana Davidson then won gold for the hosts in the U-17 Girls 100m hurdles in 13.50 ahead of USVI’s Michelle Smith (14.31) and Jamaica’s Jody-Ann Daley (14.45).
The top two spots in the Boys U-17 110m hurdles went to Jamaica’s Shaquane Gordon (13.69) and Jadan Campbell (13.91) while St. Kitts & Nevis’ Jermahd Huggins was third in 15.21.
Jamaica once again found themselves with the top two spots on the podium in the Girls U-20 race as Alexis James ran 13.32 for gold ahead of teammate Oneka Wilson (13.67) and Barbados’ Nya Browne (14.63).
Curacao’s Matthew Sophia held his composure to triumph in the Boys U-20 110m hurdles in 13.74 ahead of Jamaica’s Demario Prince (13.88) and the Bahamas’ Antoine Andrews (13.91).
Moving into the 800m, USVI’s Michelle Smith incredibly recovered from her 100m hurdles silver medal a few minutes earlier to win the U-17 Girls section in 2:10.78 ahead of Jamaica’s Andrene Peart (2:13.07) and Guyana’s Attoya Harvey (2:14.08).
Jamaica won the U-20 Girls event through Jody-Ann Mitchell with 2:09.73. Barbados’ Layla Haynes ran 2:10.58 for second while Guyana’s Adriel Austin was third in 2:13.62.
The Boys U-17 event was won by Jamaica’s Ainsley Brown in 1:58.08 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Keeran Sriskandarajah (1:58.45) and Jamaica’s Rasheed Pryce (1:58.51).
Jamaica’s J’Voughnn Blake added to his 1500m gold medal from Saturday with a 1:49.89 effort to win the U-20 Boys section ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Nathan Cumberbatch (1:51.86) and Jamaica’s Adrian Nethersole (1:51.96).
The Bahamas’ Mitchell Curtis won the U-20 Boys 5000m in 16:07.57 ahead of Jamaica’s Nicholas Power (16:08.93) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Tafari Waldron (16:35.73).
The Jamaican team of Sabrina Dockery, Quana Walker, Deandra Harris and Abigail Campbell were dominant to win the U-17 Girls 4x400m relay in 3:43.59 ahead of Bermuda (4:03.23) and the Bahamas (4:04.11).
Zachary Wallace, Ainsley Brown, Princewell Martin and Marcinho Rose combined to win the Boys U-17 section in 3:17.85 ahead of Trinidad & Tobago (3:18.89) and the Bahamas (3:21.35).
Sahfia Hinds, Onieka McAnuff, Shackelia Green and Rushana Dwyer combined to give the hosts their third 4x400m relay gold medal in the U-20 Girls section in 3:36.81 ahead of the British Virgin Islands (3:45.67) and Bermuda (3:48.69).
Shemar Palmer, Roshawn Clarke, Bryan Levell and Delano Kennedy combined to run 3:08.94 to secure gold for Jamaica in the U-20 Boys section ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (3:09.67) and Barbados (3:10.71).
In the field, Jamaica’s Kobe Lawrence threw an impressive new record 20.02m to win the U-20 Boys shot put ahead of teammate Christopher Young (19.12m) and Barbados’ Kevon Hinds (16.18m).
Jamaica’s Dionjah Shaw was also in record-breaking form in the U-17 Girls discus with a winning throw of 45.32m to better Paul Ann Gayle’s 2012 record of 43.99m.
Her Jamaican teammate Rehanna Biggs was second with 42.41m and Trinidad & Tobago’s Adriana Quamina was third with 35.23m.
Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert produced a wind-aided 17.05m to take gold in the Boys U-20 triple jump ahead of Barbados’ Aren Spencer (15.80m) and Jamaica’s Royan Walters (15.59m).
Sabrina Atkinson of Jamaica took gold in the U-17 Girls triple jump with 12.00m ahead of French Guiana’s Leane Alfred (11.77m) and the Bahamas’ Zoe Adderley (11.45m).
Jamaica finished at the top of the medal table with 92 medals including 45 gold, 29 silver and 18 bronze. The top five was rounded out by the Bahamas (four gold, six silver, seven bronze), the British Virgin Islands (four gold, two silver, one bronze), Trinidad & Tobago (two gold, 10 silver, 11 bronze) and Guyana (two gold, three silver, two bronze).
Dior-Rae Scott celebrated the Bahamas’ second javelin record at the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Monday.
Scott threw a new Carifta record 44.57m to win the U-17 Girls javelin ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Kenika Cassar (42.86m) and Suerena Alexander of Grenada (42.57m).
Her countryman Keyshawn Strachan threw a new record of 79.89m to win gold in the U-20 Boys section on Saturday.
Interestingly, Scott's throw broke the record of current West Indies women cricketer Deandra Dottin who threw 42.90 in 2007 while representing Barbados.
Jamaica’s Serena Cole, a member of the world record breaking U-20 Girls 4x100m quartet from Sunday, jumped out to 5.89m to win the U-20 long jump ahead of French Guiana’s Kayssia Hudson who jumped 5.77m for second while Cole’s Jamaica teammate Kay-Lagay Clarke recorded 5.64m for third.
Jamaica’s Annishka McDonald (1.75m) and Malaika Cunningham (1.70m) won gold and silver in the U-20 Girls high jump ahead of Grenada’s Ahsharean Enoe (1.65m).
It was a record-breaking evening session on day two of the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday as Jamaica’s U-20 Girls 4x100m team of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton sped to a new world junior record 42.58 to win gold ahead of Barbados (45.36) and Trinidad and Tobago (46.12).
Jamaica’s U-20 Boys team comprising Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Bryan Levell, Deandre Daley and Sandrey Davison were also impressive with a Carifta record 39.15 to win gold ahead of the Bahamas (40.41) and the Cayman Islands (40.72).
Camoy Binger, Bryana Davison, Shemonique Hazle and Theianna-Lee Terrelonge combined to win Jamaica’s third sprint relay gold of the evening in the U-17 Girls section in 45.38 ahead of the Bahamas (47.13) and Trinidad & Tobago (48.19).
The hosts completed a clean sweep of the sprint relays as Jadan Campbell, Gary Card, Rickoy Hunter and Shaquane Gordon combined to dominate the Boys U-17 section in 41.74 ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (42.77) and the Cayman Islands (43.40).
Moving into the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands won gold in the U-17 Girls section in 58.61 ahead of the Jamaican pair Jody-Ann Daley (1:02.22) and Deandra Harris (1:02.26).
Jamaica secured gold and silver in the U-20 Girls section through Sahfia Hinds (58.96) and Shackelia Green (59.77). Trinidad & Tobago’s Natasha Fox was third in 1:02.35.
The hosts once again swept the top two places in the Boys U-17 section thanks to Princewell Martin (53.00) and Jordan Mowatt (54.40) while Jermahd Huggins of St. Kitts & Nevis took third in 55.57.
Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke won gold in the U-20 Boys section in 50.68 ahead of Shamiar Bain of the Bahamas (52.83) and Craig Prendergast of Antigua & Barbuda (55.08).
Moving into the field, Jamaica’s Chavez Penn cleared 2.05m to win the U-17 Boys high jump ahead of Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands (2.00m) and Jamaica’s Aaron McKenzie (1.95m).
Penn was also victorious in the triple jump with 14.63m to win ahead of teammate Euan Young (14.41m) and Jonathan Rogers of the Bahamas (13.99m).
The British Virgin Islands’ emerging star and 100m champion Adaejah Hodge continued her stellar showing at the Games so far with gold in the U-17 Girls long jump with a distance of 6.20m ahead of Jamaica’s Shemonique Hazle (5.85m) and Rohanna Sudlow (5.65m).
Jamaica secured gold in the Boys U-20 long jump through the supremely talented Jaydon Hibbert on day two of the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday.
The Class I gold medallist in both the long and triple jump at last week’s ISSA Boys and Girls Championships jumped out to 7.62m to win gold ahead of St. Vincent’s Uroy Ryan (7.52m) and Barbados’ Aren Spencer (7.48m).
Hibbert will be looking for a second gold medal in the triple jump on Monday, an event in which he is currently the world U-20 leader with a massive 16.66m done to win gold at Champs.
Guyana’s Anisha Gibbons won gold in the U-20 Girls javelin with 42.54m ahead of the Barbadian pair of Vivica Addison (41.92) and Vanessa Greaves (41.17).
Dominica took gold in the U-20 Girls shot put through Treneese Eloui Hamilton’s 14.58m effort. Jamaica’s Brittania Johnson threw 14.19m for her second silver medal of these games while Suriname’s Alicia Grootfaam threw 12.97m for bronze.
In the 800m semis, Guyana’s 1500m champion from Saturday Attoya Harvey was the fastest qualifier to the U-17 Girls final in 2:15.76 ahead of Jamaica’s Andrene Peart (2:15.79) and her Guyanese teammate Narissa McPherson (2:19.89).
Bermuda’s Nirobi Smith Mills was the fastest qualifier to the Boys U-20 final with 1:55.11 ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Nathan Cumberbatch (1:55.75) and Jamaica’s 1500m silver medallist Adrian Nethersole (1:55.89). 1500m Gold medallist J’Voughnn Blake also advanced to the final comfortably in 1:58.31.
The 800m finals are scheduled for Monday. Both the Girls U-20 and Boys U-17 800m will be straight finals.
Jamaica’s Deandre Daley and Tina Clayton were crowned U-20 100m champions on day one of the 49th Carifta Games at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.
Daley sped to a personal best 10.23 to win the Boys event ahead of Jamaican teammate Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (10.28) and Zachary Evans of the Bahamas (10.45).
Clayton won the Girls equivalent in 11.22 ahead of her twin sister Tia (11.30) and T&T’s Shaniqua Bascombe (11.57).
The Girls U-17 100m was won in impressive fashion by Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands in 11.29, miles ahead of Shatalya Dorsett of the Bahamas (11.80) and Jamaica’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (11.87).
Antigua and Barbuda’s Dwayne Fleming won the Boys U-17 equivalent in 10.72 ahead of Jamaica’s Gary Card (10.75) and St. Vincent’s Keo Davis (10.77).
Moving on to the 400m, Jamaica’s Delano Kennedy (46.66) and Shemar Palmer (46.97) secured first and second place ahead of St. Vincent’s Amal Glasgow (47.06) in the U-20 Boys final.
Jamaica secured another 1-2 finish in the U-20 Girls with Kaylia Kelly (52.32) and Oneika McAnuff (52.52) securing the top two spits ahead of Bermuda’s Caitlyn Bobb (53.12).
The Jamaican pair of Marcinho Rose (48.41) and Tajh-Marques White (48.82) secured another quinella for the hosts in the U-17 Boys section ahead of Kaiyin Morris of Trinidad and Tobago (49.01).
Jamaica’s Abigail Campbell comfortably won the Girls U-17 section in 53.83 ahead of Guyana’s Narissa Mohammed (55.39) and Jamaica’s Quana Walker (55.65).
In the 1500m, Jamaica secured the top two spots in the U-20 Boys as J'Voughnn Blake (4:00.04) and Adrian Nethersole (4:01.45) finished ahead of Trinidad and Tobago's Troy Llanos (4:01.47).
The U-20 Girls had a similar outcome as Jamaica's Rickeisha Simms (4:44.18) and Samantha Pryce (4:44.77) took gold and silver ahead of Barbados' Layla Haynes (4:45.10).
The Boys U-17 equivalent was won by Trinidad & Tobago's Keeran Sriskandarajah in 4:10.58 ahead of Guyana's Javon Roberts (4:12.54) and Jamaica's Yashon Bowen (4:13.15).
Guyana's Attoya Harvey took gold in the Girls U-17 section with 4:45.75) ahead of T&T's Kayleigh Forde (4:52.14) and Jamaica's Kededra Coombs (4:52.19).
Moving into the field, Jamaica's Kobe Lawrence (60.77) and Christopher Young (54.30) secured gold and silver in the U-20 boys discus. T&T's Jaden James threw 52.28m for bronze.
T&T's Aaron Antoine won gold in the Boys U-20 high jump with a 2.16m clearance ahead of Jamaica's Brandon Pottinger (2.14m) and St. Vincent's Verrol Sam (2.00m).
Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands took gold in the Boys U-17 long jump with 6.76m ahead of T&T's Andrew Steele (6.61m) and Jamaica's Euan Young (6.60m).
Jamaica's Cedricka Williams threw 51.24 to win the Girls U-20 discus ahead of her teammate Brittania Johnson (49.74m) and Guadeloupe's Princesse Hyman (47.55m).
Keyshawn Strachan of the Bahamas started the 49th Carifta Games with a bang by breaking the Boys U-20 javelin record at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.
Strachan, a finalist at the World Junior Championships in Nairobi last year, threw an impressive 78.89m to break the record of 78.28m set in 2016 by Grenadian 2019 World Champion Anderson Peters.
The Trinidadian pair of Anthony Diaz (63.69) and Dorian Charles (57.52) rounded out the top three.
Elsewhere in the field, Jamaica’s Danielle Noble cleared 1.73m to win the U-17 Girls high jump ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Tenique Vincent (1.65m) and the British Virgin Islands' Jah’kyla Morton (1.60m).
Morton's BVI teammate Savianna Joseph took home the Girls U-17 shot put with 13.54m ahead of Jamaica's Nastassia Burrell (13.10m) and the Bahamas' Terrell McCoy (13.00m).
Teams from across the region have arrived in Jamaica ahead of the 49th staging set to begin at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday, April 16.
The Games were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic but will now resume in earnest as the best junior athletes in the region pit their talents against each other over three days of intense competition with Jamaica hosting for the eighth time.
The latest teams to arrive include the Cayman Islands which has sent 29 athletes.
“We are expecting to do very well. We have some very talented runners. Some of our athletes are actually in school here in Jamaica and we’re expecting big things from them. Some of the kids are young and nervous but we will go well,” said Assistant Manager of the team, Paula Dawkins-Archbold told the Jamaica Observer.
Also arriving is the team from St. Kitts and Nevis. 'We have a team of 16 athletes-13 boys and three females and we hope to do some personal bests,” said team manager Azurdey Phillips.
The Bahamas has sent a team of 55, Trinidad and Tobago, 43 and Guyana 24. Bermuda which was to have hosted the Games in 2020 has sent a team of 20 while Barbados has sent 17 athletes.
SportsMax, the Caribbean’s premier sports and entertainment broadcaster, will broadcast the games live on its channels and Mobile App.
SportsMax will produce the CARIFTA Games and broadcast on linear TV via its many cable partners across the region and on CEEN TV outside the Caribbean and on its SportsMax and SportsMax+ channels within the SportsMax App in addition to partnering with several free-to-air entities across the region, ensuring that fans get to see their favourite athletes engage in pulsating track and field action over the Easter Weekend.
When the CARIFTA Games get underway, SportsMax, through its partnership with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) and the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), will ensure that the action on the track and on the field will be seen live on CNC3 in Trinidad, CBC in Barbados, CVM TV in Jamaica and Winners TV in St Lucia.
The issue of whether or not spectators will be allowed to attend the upcoming Carifta Games is yet to be resolved and remains a key area of focus for organisers.
The regional junior track and field event is expected to be staged in Jamaica for the first time since 2011 and more specifically return to the city of Kingston for the first time since 1996, in April of this year.
With the country and globe still in the midst of battling the coronavirus pandemic, however, the situation regarding the possibility of spectators and the number of spectators that can attend a given event, as always, remains a fluid and often tenuous process.
For example, recently it was announced that another upcoming track meet, the Gibson Relays, would be allowed to have spectators in attendance. Only a few weeks ago, however, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) was denied permission for fans to enter the National Stadium for the country’s World Cup qualifiers.
Chairman of the local organising committee of the 2022 Carifta Games, Mike Fennell, revealed negotiations regarding the situation of fans were ongoing.
“We have a meeting set up with the agencies and ministries in providing the sort of regulations that will exist,” Fennell said.
“We have not finalized anything yet because we know that that is a moving target and the times are not static, but we continue to have meetings and there is goodwill all around,” he added.
“Everyone accepts the importance of having these games. They're not for the seniors, they’re for the juniors but it is critical in the development of the sport.”
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