Bahamas

The athlete, who switched allegiance from Great Britain to Jamaica in June, made her debut at the IAAF World Championships but was unable to take part in the Commonwealth Games earlier this month due to protocols surrounding the international transfer.

The athlete was, however, able to return to the track for the NACAC Games where she finished third in the women’s 800m behind the US pair of Ajee and Allie Wilson.  Ajee finished just ahead of her compatriot Allie in a  photo finish 1:58.47 to 1:58.48.

The Jamaican finished third in 1:59.54 only her second time under 2 minutes, behind her personal best, which came at the IAAF World Championship in Eugene, Oregon in July.  Tracey was delighted with the result and performance.

“Ajee set a really tough pace from the get-go, that was great for me because I actually ran my second fastest time.  It was very hot today, it’s super windy.  I just made it hard but there is a lot of travel in my legs,” Tracey said after the race.

  “I was kind of hoping it would have been a bit more tactical but that was a really honest race and there are some really fast girls in there so I’m really happy with it,” she added.

The distance runner was also delighted to have made the trip.

"It feels like a really special place and this is my first medal as a Jamaican athlete as well, so, I really love the Bahamas.”

The Jamaicans also picked up other medals on the night when Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper claimed silver in the women’s 100m hurdles and another bronze for Orlando Bennett in the men’s 110m hurdles.

Bahamian sprint queen Shaunae Miller-Uibo has arguably been, overall, the best female athlete in the world for the last five years, but for the upcoming Olympics, attempting the 200m-400m double is likely to be biting off more than even she can chew.

At her best, the athlete would still be a favorite to claim the women’s 400m title in a strong and very open field. 

So far, the event’s best time has been set by Namibia’s Christine Mboma who ran 48.54 last month.  Next is Miller-Uibo who has a best of 49.08, another Namibian Beatrice Masiling (49.53), the USA’s Athing Mu (49.57), Jamaica’s Stephenie McPherson (49.61), and Quanera Haynes (49.67).

Mboma and Masiling have, however, been banned from competing in the women's 400m race at the Tokyo Games for having testosterone levels that are too high, while Mu will focus on the 800m.  That leaves Miller-Uibo with the best time heading into the event, with McPherson and Hayes also looking like genuine medal prospects at this point.  With her personal best of 48.37, set in Doha 2019, the Bahamian is the only woman in the field to have broken the 49-second barrier.

The 200m is, however, a different case entirely.  The Bahamian is nowhere close to the world leaders this year.  Amazingly, her season’s best of 22.03 put’s her at 12^th on the list this year, in a season where the women seem intent on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the sprint events.

In fact, four women, Gabrielle Thomas (21.61), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (21.79), Shericka Jackson (21.82), and Jenna Prandini (21.89) set personal bests last month.  Thomas’ time is the second-fastest ever run over the distance.  Even if she were to reproduce her personal best time of 21.74, she would be in contention, but certainly not guaranteed a spot on the podium.

Add the stresses of rigorous, unfriendly scheduling for a 200m-400m double and it’s not inconceivable that she could miss out on a spot on the podium entirely if things go badly.

The last time she attempted the feat at a major Games was 2017 where she ended up with a bronze medal in the 200m and missed out on the spots entirely in the 400m after finishing 4^th.  This after heading into the 400m with three of the top five times that year.

If she isn’t careful, we could have a similar type of situation unfold in Tokyo.  Word is the athlete is recovering from an injury and not yet at her best, but she will need to get there in a hurry.

The Bahamian won ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Asa Guevara, who finished in 32.78s and Barbadian Jonathan Jones (33.02s).

Though some ways off his 31.52s personal best in the event, Gardiner, has signalled that he is much stronger and better on return from last year’s injury, and is no doubt looking forward to repeating his 400m at this summer’s Olympic Games.

Last month, the 28-year-old clocked a world-leading 31.78s to win the men’s 300m at the Carolina Invitational indoor meet at the University of South Carolina. That time was the second fastest ever indoors, trialing his own 31.56s done at the same venue in 2022.

Gardiner, who is also the 2019 World Championships 400m gold medallist, was on his way to another undefeated season last year, but pulled up with an injury in the semifinals at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

While heartbroken by the injury at the time, Gardiner promised not to give up and his recent performances reaffirms his determination to defend his 400m title in Paris with a clean bill of health.

Nineteen-year-old Gibbons, the defending champion, threw 47.96m on her very first attempt to win the Women’s U20 javelin. Korann Corlet, 19, of French Guiana won the silver with her best throw of 45.32 while 18-year-old Vanessa Sawyer of the Bahamas took home the bronze medal with a throw of 43.37m.

It was a 1-2 finish for the defending champions Jamaica in the Women U20 shot put as 19-year-old Johnson established a winning mark of 14.54m. Her compatriot Britannie Johnson, also 19, won the silver medal with a throw of 13.74m.

The bronze medal went to St Lucia’s Joy Edward, 19, who put 13.53m to secure the final spot on the podium.

Meanwhile, Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands produced a mark of 7.54m to win the U20 long jump. The 17-year-old Stone was 10cm better than Jamaica's Demario Prince who took the silver with his best jump of 7.44m, the same as Mateo Smith of the Bahamas, who was third as the Jamaica had a better series. Prince's second-best jump was 7.43m while Smith's was 7.33m. Prince's third-best effort was 7.37m to Smith's 7.33m.

Having added the World Championship title to two Olympic gold medals, at the Oregon World Champions last week, the 28-year-old sprinter has expressed a desire to break new ground.  As such, Miller-Uibo has targeted trying her luck full-time over half the distance.

These days, however, the half-lap event is not for the faint of heart.  Three of the fastest times in the event’s history have been recorded in the last year.  Two Jamaicans, Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, and world champion Shericka Jackson have the world record in their sights. It's a competitive field.

Despite the fierce competition, however, the Bahamian is confident about making her mark.

 “The plans for me are the 200 which has always been my first love and get back into that,” Miller-Uibo said.

“I have run 21.7 without proper training. Once we go at it, I think we can do better,” she added. 

“They’re setting the stage pretty high.  I’m so proud of the girls and I think that they’re really showing out right now and showing the world exactly what we can do. I can’t wait.”

The athlete will have her first test next Saturday when she faces Jackson in Poland.

The Bahamian sprinter has claimed the title at the last two Olympics and could have been the first woman to win the event at three consecutive events.

 Miller-Uibo, who has the 7^th fastest time over the event all-time, and 3^rd fastest in the last 25 years, has now revealed that she does not expect to face the starter in Paris. 

“To be honest, I don’t think I’ll be doing the 400m that year [2024],” Miller-Uibo said on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s Diamond League meet in Rome.

 “I’m planning on wrapping it up. I’ve accomplished so much in the event, for me, it’s just about getting the world title now.”

Despite dominating at the Olympics, the athlete has never won the World Championship title with her best results coming in 2015 and 2019 when she was second behind Allyson Felix and Salwa Eid Naser respectively.  In the future, the sprinter plans to focus her effort on the 200m.

On Thursday, Miller-Uibo will face a quality 200m field, which includes reigning 200m Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, reigning World champion Dina Asher-Smith and Felix.

The 26-year-old Bahamian, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion, announced the devastating news on social media, a major blow to his anticipated matchups against Americans Michael Norman, Randolph Ross Jr as well as Champion Allison and Grenadian Kirani James.

“Another global competition but instead of putting on my spikes I’ve been advised to put on a walking boot due to a UTE tendon inflammation,” he said.

“Unfortunately, there will be no Eugene ’22 for me. Devastated by the news but I am thankful for all the blessings in my career so far.

“I am also thankful for my team, for all the love and support during this process/ I’ll now move ahead to obtain the necessary treatment so I can be 100 per cent.”

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 14^th in Group A qualifying with a best clearance of 4.80m.

For Jamaica, discus throwers Samantha Hall and Fedrick Dacres, both claimed bronze in their respective events, while Dominican Republic proved too good for rivals in the 4x400m mixed relay.

Hall, who competed at the World Athletics Championships in Hungary, claimed her first medal at the senior level, with a throw of 59.14m. She placed behind the Brazilian pair of Izabela Rodrigues, who won gold with a throw of 59.63m, and Andressa Oliveira (59.29m).

Another Jamaican Adrienne Adams was eighth in the event with a best mark of 55.55m.

On the men’s side, Dacres secured Jamaica's third bronze when he launched the instrument to a mark of 61.25m. Chile’s Lucas Nervi (63.39m), and Colombia’s Mauricio Alexander Ortega (61.86m), were first and second. Kai Chang, the other Jamaican in the event, was sixth at 59.96m.

Domincan Republic added a sixth gold medal to go with their four silver and 10 bronze, with victory in the 4X400m Mixed relay final. Their quartet, which included World Champion Marileidy Paulino, won in 3:16.05, ahead of Brazil (3:18.55) and United States (3:19.41).

Elsewhere on the track, Liranyi Arislayne Alonso of Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago's Reyare Mary Thomas, clocked identical times of 11.69s for second and third in semi-final one of the women’s 100m. Both, along with winner Cecilia Tamayo (11.66s) of Mexico, secured a spot in the final.

Guyana’s Keliza Smith (11.78s) and Jamaica’s Mickaell Moodie (11.86s), who also contested that semi-final, were sixth and seventh respectively.

Jasmine Abrams of Guyana won semi-final two in 11.60s, with Brazil’s Ana De Jesus (11.64s) and Cuba’s Yarima Garcia (11.65s), in second and third respectively.

On the men's side, Guyana’s Emanuel Archibald (10.35s) and Odaine McPherson (10.37s), produced contrasting performances in semi-final one, but did enough to secure their respective spots in the final. Archibald was third and McPherson, who advanced to the final as a non-automatic qualifier, was fourth.

They joined Jose Alnardo Gonzales (10.30s) of Dominican Republic, who won ahead of Brazil's Felipe Bardi (10.33s). Hakeem Huggins of St Kitts and Nevis was seventh in 10.54s.

Jamaica's Jevaughn Whyte and Samson Colebrooke of the Bahamas were fourth and seventh in semi-final two, clocking 10.52s and 10.62s, respectively, as both failed to make the final cut.

Cuba’s Shainer Rengifo was the lone Caribbean athlete to progress from semi-final three, which he won in 10.36s.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams secured her spot in the women’s 400m final after she place second in semi-final one in 51.82s. Chile’s Martina Weil won the event in 51.47s, with Ecuador’s Nicole Caicedo (52.32s) third.

Jamaica’s athletes are expected to contest the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays, as well as the Mixed 4x400m relay, at the two-day spectacle which will take place at the refurbished Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Blake and Reid have been listed among the respective 4x100m relay pools, which also includes Kemba Nelson, Natasha Morrison, and reigning University champion Kadrian Goldson.

World Indoor bronze medallist Rusheen McDonald, World and Olympic relay medallist Janieve Russell, and World 400m hurdles finalist Roshawn Clarke, headline the pool for the 4x400m and Mixed 4x400m relays respectively.

Full team: Female 4x100m –Kemba Nelson, Alana Reid, Jodean Williams, Remona Burchell, Mickaell Moodie, Natasha Morrison, Yanique Dayle

4x400m & Mixed Relay –Stacey Ann Williams, Charokee Young, Leah Anderson, Ashley Williams, Junelle Bromfield, Janieve Russell, Tovea Jenkins, Roniesha Mcgregor

Male 4x100m –Ryiem Forde, Nigel Ellis, Bryan Levell, Kadrian Goldson, Odaine Mcpherson, Ackeem Blake, Javorne Dunkley

4x400m & Mixed Relay –Malik James-King, Rusheen Mcdonald, Zandrion Barnes, Roshawn Clarke, Demish Gaye, Anthony Cox, Karyme Bartley, Assinie Wilson, Sean Bailey

Management Team –Dennis May (Team Leader), Trevor Campbell (Team Official), Jennifer Brown (Team Official), Maurice Wilson (Technical Director), Paul Francis (Coach), Reynaldo Walcott (Coach), Mark Elliott (Coach), Yanique Weekes (Doctor), Garfield Simmonds (Medical)

Jackson, who was formerly a 400m specialist, stepped down to the shorter distances this year and has had impressive results.  The sprinter clocked new personal bests of 10.77 and 21.82 last month at her country’s national championships.

In Hungary, on Tuesday, the runner continued in that vein, dismissing the field to finish first in 21.96.  Jackson seized control of the race early and comfortably held off a typically fast-finishing Miller-Uibo, who took second in 22.15.  Dafne Schippers, the 2017 World Champion, was third in 22.70.

In other action, both Caribbean athletes in the men’s 110m hurdles failed to secure a podium spot.  Jamaica’s Ronald Levy finished fourth with a time of 13.25 and Shane Brathwaite was 7^th in 14.10.  The race was won by the United States’ Grant Halloway who took the top spot with a time of 13.08.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s Janieve Russell took third in a season’s best 53.68.  The race was won by Netherland’s Femke Bol in a meet record 52.81.

The selected athletes, Tarees Rhoden, Kimar Farquharson, Raheem Hayles, Jevaughn Powell, Shevioe Reid, and Malik James-King, bring a wealth of recent performance successes, particularly from the NCAA National Division 1 Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Powell, who ran a season-best 44.54 seconds to place third in the 400m final, demonstrated his relay prowess with a blistering 44.34-second split for the Florida Gators, contributing to their third-place finish in the 4x400m relay. Meanwhile, Farquharson, primarily an 800m specialist, demonstrated his versatility with a 44.38-second split on the third leg for Texas A&M, securing the gold medal.

Hayles also put in a solid performance at the NCAA Championships, finishing seventh in the 400m final with a time of 45.58 seconds. James-King, who ran 45.59 seconds earlier this year, rounds out the team, bringing additional depth and speed.

This upcoming race in the Bahamas represents Jamaica's last opportunity to qualify for the Olympics, as the national championships scheduled for June 27-30 at the National Stadium in Kingston fall within the Olympic qualification window, which closes on June 30.

The urgency of this attempt is underscored by Jamaica's disappointing performances at the World Relays in May, where the team failed to crack the top 16 globally.

In the preliminary round of the World Relays, a team consisting of Assinie Wilson, Zandrion Barnes, Demish Gaye, and Malik James-King posted a time of 3:02.48. The second-round team, which included Rusheen McDonald, Wilson, Gaye, and James-King, fared even worse with a time of 3:05.09, highlighting the need for a revitalized and more competitive squad.

Accompanying the athletes to the Bahamas are Team Manager Brian Smith, Head Coach Mark Elliott, Coach Lamar Richards, and Massage Therapist Oral Thompson, all of whom are integral to ensuring the team's optimal performance.

On paper, Jamaica's new lineup boasts the credentials to make a successful bid for Olympic qualification. With key athletes hitting peak form at the NCAA Championships, there is a renewed sense of optimism and determination within the team. As they take to the track at the New Life Invitational, the eyes of a nation will be watching, hopeful that this talented group can deliver a performance worthy of Olympic contention.

It was, however, the way in which Jackson saw her bid for another individual medal slip away that left onlookers slack-jawed.  Competing in heat 5, the athlete, one of the fastest women in the event this year, seemed well in control of the race early on but began to cruise closer to the line.

The Jamaican was passed by Portugal’s Lorène Bazolo and also Italy’s Dalia Kaddari at the finish.  Kaddari finished third in 23.26, the same time as Jackson but advanced when the times were rounded down further.  With the heat being one of the slower events Jackson was also unable to advance as one of the fastest losers.  Jackson’s heat was won by the Bahamas’ Anthonique Strachan.

There was no such trouble for Jackson’s compatriot, defending Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah who advanced from heat 6 after finishing in third position.  The heat was won by Canada’s Crystal Emmanuel with Great Britain’s Beth Dobbin second.

100m silver medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also advanced in comfortable fashion after winning heat 2 in 22.22.  Namibia’s Beatrice Masilingi was second in 22.63, with the Netherland’s Dafne Schippers also securing qualification with her third-place finish of 23.13.

The women’s semi-finals will take place on Monday at 5:25 am.

The unofficial medal tally saw Jamaica finish the 50^th edition of the Games, which were held from April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, The Bahamas, with 78 medals, 32 more than the hosts in second and 47 more than Trinidad & Tobago in third. 

The top five was rounded out by St. Kitts & Nevis with 11 and Barbados with 10.

Of those 78 medals, Jamaica took home 40 gold, 22 silver and 17 bronze medals.

Furthermore, 36 of those medals came on the Boys side while 42 came on the Girls side.

Hosts, The Bahamas, also had an excellent showing at home with 46 medals including 10 gold, 13 silver and 23 bronze while Trinidad and Tobago ended with nine gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze.

Jamaica asserted its dominance on the track as the curtains closed on the 51st Carifta Games at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium in Grenada, clinching victory in all four 4x400m relays on Monday. With commanding performances reminiscent of their sprint hurdles dominance earlier in the final session, the Jamaican teams showcased their class, bringing the Games to a thrilling conclusion.

However, the final race of the night, the Under 20 Boys 4x400m relay, was not without its share of drama. As Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, and Grenada set off in the race, they halted unexpectedly, anticipating a recall that never came. They were allowed to re-run for time during which Trinidad and Tobago ultimately emerged victorious, with the Bahamas crossing the line second.

However, neither team were able to eclipse Jamaica's winning time of 3:10.58 from the original race. Trinidad were eventually awarded silver having run a time of 3:11.10. Guyana was third in a time of 3:14.05. Bahamas were disqualified.

In the Under 17 Girls 4x400m relay, Jamaica's team, led by Britannia Bailey, Nastassia Fletcher, Kevongaye Fowler, and Tresha Lee Sutherland, surged to victory in 3:41.84. The Bahamas secured silver in a time of 3:47.13 while Trinidad and Tobago claimed bronze in 3:54.49.

Similarly, in the Under 20 Girls 4x400m relay, Jamaica's formidable quartet of Abigail Campbell, Shanique Williams, Kitania Headley, and Shanoya Douglas clocked a time of 3:34.69, securing another gold medal for the nation. Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas clinched silver and bronze, in times of 3:47.51 and 3:49.82, respectively.

Jamaica’s U17 Boys executed flawlessly to win in dominant fashion in a time of 3:18.43. Trinidad and Tobago won the silver running 3:21.24 with the bronze medal going to Grenada who ran 3:21.92.

With an impressive medal haul of 45 gold, 23 silver, and 16 bronze medals, Jamaica emerged as the overall victor of the Carifta Games.

The Bahamas finished second overall with 35 medals; nine gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze medals with Trinidad and Tobago third with 27 medals, four gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Guyana won eight medals; four gold, three silver and a bronze medal while Guadeloupe finished fifth with five medals, two gold, a silver and two bronze medals. Hosts Grenada had an outstanding Carifta Games winning one gold, six silver and six bronze medals which placed them seventh in the standings.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Janae De Gannes won the prestigious Austin Sealy Award for her record-breaking jump of 6.50m in the U20 Girls Long Jump.

The day concluded with Brenden Vanderpool of the Bahamas successfully defending his pole vault title in a new Carifta record of 5.06m while holding off the challenge of Tedre O'Neil (4.60m) of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who claimed the silver medal. Tyler Cash of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with his clearance of 4.45m.

Heading into Monday's final day, Jamaica leads the medal standings with 42 medals - 23 gold, 13 silver and six bronze medals. The hosts, Bahamas, have 26 medals - five gold, eight silver and 13 bronze medals. The number exceeds the 17 medals they won in Kingston in 2022. Third is Trinidad and Tobago with 12 medals - two gold, four silver and six bronze medals while Guyana have seven medals - two gold, two silver and three bronze medals. Barbados rounds out the top five with four medals - two gold and two silver.

Earlier,  Jamaica won three of the four 4x100m relays and should have won all four had it not been a poor second exchange on the Boys U17 4x100m that opened the door for the Bahamas, who obliged by winning in 41.46 ahead of the Jamaicans, who clocked 41.63.

Grenada finished third in 41.95.

Prior to that race, Jamaica’s U17 Girls comfortably ran away with the gold medal in 45.36s, finishing ahead of the team from Trinidad and Tobago that clocked 46.18 for the silver medal. Bahamas, the home team, picked up the bronze when they finished in 46.43.

Jamaica’s U20 girls got things back on track with a dominating performance to win in 44.01 more than a second clear of Trinidad and Tobago, who took silver in 45.35 while the Bahamas ran 45.55 for the bronze medal.

The Bahamas team that featured the silver and bronze medallists in the 100m dash on Saturday were serious contenders to dethrone the Jamaicans and everything seemed to be going according to form for the home team until the final exchange.

Bahamian anchorman Carlos Brown got the baton with a three-metre lead on Jamaica’s anchor Deandre Daley, who driven by his disqualification in the semi-finals of the 100m and the injury to teammate Bouwahgjie Nkrumie, unleashed his blistering speed down the home stretch to catch and storm by Brown to the finish line.

Jamaica’s winning time was 39.68. The Bahamas took silver in 39.78 while Trinidad and Tobago finished third in 40.83.

They might have dominated proceedings in the sprint relays but Jamaica didn’t have things their own way in the 400m hurdles.

Jamaica’s Jody-Ann Daley won the Girls U17 event in 1:01.05 ahead of Darvinique Dean of the Bahamas who ran 1:02.50 for the silver medal. Daley’s compatriot was third in 1:02.61 to claim the bronze medal. It was a different story in the U20 event that saw a dominating performance from Michelle Smith from the Virgin Islands.

Smith, who won the U17 event in Jamaica in 2022, ran strong race from start to finishing, winning in 57.69 well clear of the Jamaican pair of Tonyan Beckford and Alliah Baker who ran 58.94 and 59.55 for second and third, respectively.

St Kitts and Nevis’ Akanye Samuel Francis upset the Jamaican pair of Deandre Gayle and Demario Bennett to win gold in the U17 Boys 400m hurdles in 54.14. Gayle ran 55.10 for the silver medal with Bennett clocking 55.27 for the bronze medal.

Jamaica got back to winning ways in the Boys U20 in the form of Roshawn Clarke who produced a dominant performance to win in 49.92 ahead of teammate Antonio Forbes, who clocked 51.72. Shimar Bain of the Bahamas ran 52.48 for the bronze medal.

Bahamas comprehensively won the inaugural staging of the mixed 4x400m relay, running away from the field to clock 3:24.92. In their wake was Grenada 3:27.22 and Jamaica 3:29.35.

Kaydean Johnson took gold in the 3000m steeplechase in commanding fashion powering away from the field in the final 200m to win in 10:41.11 leaving silver medalist Attoya Harvey of Guyana (10:45.74) in her wake.

Akaya Lightbourne of the Bahamas won the bronze medal with her time of 10:47.01.

Demetrie Meyer of Belize, who won gold in the 1500m on Saturday, added the 3000m gold to his collection on Sunday with a winning time of 9:08.56. Ejay George of Grenada won the silver medal in 9:36.82 with Love Joseph of the Turks and Caicos Islands winning bronze in a time of 9:37.46.

Ronaldo Anderson won another gold medal for Jamaica in the U17 Boys Shot Put. He set a mark of 15.52m to just get the better of Denzel Phillips of St Lucia who threw 15.17m Rueben Bain of the Bahamas threw 13.78m to claim the bronze medal.

Jamaica also won the Boys U17 triple jump as Euan Young soared out to 14.32m to claim the gold medal. Aaron Massiah of Barbados won the silver with a 13.93m effort while Ezekiel Saul of Guyana claimed the bronze with his jump of 13.53m.

Gerilin Barnes won gold for Antigua in the U17 Girls long jump. She soared out to a mark of 5.60m, a mere three centimetres clear of Jamaica's Sashana Johnson's 5.57m. The bronze medal was won by Hilaire Oceane Saint of Guadeloupe (5.54m).

Dominica’s Addison Alickson James threw 60.16m to win gold in the U17 Boys javelin. Antigua’s Maliek Francis hurled the implement 50.45m for the silver medal with Guadeloupe’s Tristan Carias winning bronze with his throw of 49.48m.

Also, new has emerged that Jamaica will not contest the re-run of the Boys U20 4x100m final that they won on Saturday night at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. Jamaica won the relay in 39.68 with the Bahamas finishing second in 39.78.

Trinidad and Tobago finished third in 40.82.

On Monday, The Bahamas took gold and silver in the Girls U17 javelin as Kamera Strachan set a new championship record of 46.07m to win gold. Last year’s winner Dior-Rae Scott, who was the previous record holder, struggled to throw beyond 40m in her first two attempts, but was finally able to establish a mark of 45.13m to secure the silver medal.

It was her only throw beyond 40m.

St Lucia’s Naya Jules threw 42.92m to win the bronze medal in what was her only effort beyond the 40-metre mark.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Torian Cavien cleared 1.81m to win the U20 Girls high jump over teammate Deijanae Bruce, who cleared 1.78m. Keneisha Melbourne of Trinidad and Tobago won the bronze having sailed over the bar at 1.75m.

It was 1-3 for Jamaica in the U20 Girls Jade-Ann Dawkins who produced a season-best 6.14m on her fourth jump to take the crown.

Gannes Janae De of Trinidad and Tobago took the silver medal with her leap of 5.93m while Bruce followed up her silver in the high jump with bronze in the horizontal jump where she produced a leap of 5.78m.

Regarding to the relays, the judges in The Bahamas decided on a re-run of the relay after Barbados filed a protest claiming their lead-off runner was left at a disadvantage after the race was recalled when the Bahamian athlete claimed he did not hear the gun.

By then the lead off runners had sprinted about 50 metres.

However, reports said Jamaica’s head coach David Riley said Jamaica would not participate in the re-run because the officials had not declared the race null and void. Unconfirmed reports claimed that other countries who had teams in the final were planning to follow suit.

The changes proved effective as the Jamaicans ran away with the heat winning impressively in 3:38.54.

India is also on their way to Paris after they finished in second place in a time of 3:29.35.

The Netherlands (3:27.45) and Switzerland (3:28.30) are also through along with Belgium (3:26.79) and Spain (3:27.30), a national record.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s men will have to find another route to Paris after finished fifth in their heat and failed to qualify.

Trinidad and Tobago, though, produced a brave performance to secure a place in Paris. The quartet of Asa Guevara, Jereem Richards, Che Lara and Shakeem McKay battled hard to hold off France and seal the the final qualifying spot. Brazil won the heat in 3:01.86 with the brave Trinidadians finishing in 3:02.39.

Led by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, Jamaica’s women pretty much stole the show, despite being upset in the final of the 4x100m relay by the United States.

It is no surprise then that the Jamaican superstars topped the table for most points accumulated during the championships. Jamaica’s women topped the table with 75 points, one more than that United States’ 74. Ethiopia was third with 60 points.

Great Britain (39), Kenya (39), Netherlands (20), Nigeria (13), Kazakhstan (12), Bahamas (10) and the Dominican Republic (10) round out the top 10 nations.

Eight points are accumulated for first place and a point for eighth.

At the championships, Fraser-Pryce led a Jamaica 1-2-3 finish in the 100m. Shericka Jackson won silver and Elaine Thompson-Herah, the bronze medal.

Shericka Jackson turned the tables in the 200m winning in a championship record 21.45, the second fastest time in history. She was followed by Fraser-Pryce who won silver.

Thompson-Herah was seventh.

Britany Anderson won a silver medal in the 100m hurdles won by Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan. Danielle Williams finished sixth.

Meanwhile, Rushell Clayton finished sixth in the final of the 400m hurdles won by the USA’s Sydney McLaughlin in a world-record 50.68.

Jamaica also won silver in the 4x100m relay and bronze in the 4x400m relay.

Young, who is more known for her discus prowess, achieved a winning heave of 14.25m on her fourth attempt, which represents a significant improvement on the 13.33m she threw when winning at the trials.

The 16-year-old Clarendon College standout won ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Peyton Winter (14.21m) and Terrell McCoy (14.11m) of the Bahamas.

Jamaica heads the medal standing with two gold medals so far, as Zavien Bernard also topped the girls’ Under-17 high jump final.

Antigua and Barbuda have one gold courtesy of Maleik Francis’s record-breaking win in the boys’ Under-17 javelin throw, while Trinidad and Tobago (one silver and one bronze), Bahamas (one silver and one bronze), St Kitts and Nevis (one silver) and Grenada (one bronze), also secured medals in the opening session.

The evening session is scheduled to begin with the Opening Ceremony at 1:30pm Jamaica time.

The Carifta Games are being broadcast live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.