Jadeann Dawkins

Riddle,18, proved too good for rivals in the Under-20 girls’ triple jump, as she required only three jumps to achieve the winning mark of 12.69m in a 1.2 metres per second wind reading. She was just outside her personal best of 12.96m.

Jade-Ann Dawkins of St Jago was expected to make things interesting, but she struggled to find rhythm before eventually cutting the sand at a best mark of 12.63m in a 0.8 metres per second reading, while Jade-Ann Smith (12.22m) of Excelsior, was third.

Immaculate Conception’s Zoelle Jamel won the girls’ Under-17 javelin throw with a mark of 43.75m, ahead of Alliah Gittens of Edwin Allen, who achieved a best mark of 31.27m in the two-athlete contest.

Tarique Daley of Calabar launched the javelin to 54.72m to win the boys’ Under-17 event, ahead of Edwin Allen’s Dylan Logan (45.61m) and Alex Benjamin (43.41m) of Titchfield High.

The girls’ Under-20 javelin event only attracted two competitors and was won by Sheniela Williams of Edwin Allen. She launched the instrument to 36.14m to better Tamecia Binda of Dinthill Technical, who only mustered 28.36m.

Rohanna Sudlow of St Catherine High topped the girls; Under-18 long jump, as she cut the sand at the winning mark of 6.03m on her second attempt. She finished ahead of the Excelsior High pair of Shelley Ann Taylor (5.63m) and Xavi Harvey (5.24m).

Elsewhere in the field, St Jago’s Abigail Martin finished tops in the girls’ Under-20 discus throw, after achieving a best mark of 53.55m. She won ahead of the Johnson sisters Britannia Johnson (48.88m) and Britannie (43.74m).

Meanwhile, on the track, St Elizabeth Technical’s Javorne Dunkley headlined qualifiers to the semi-finals of the boys’ Under-20 100m, with a comfortable 10.28s-clocking.

Jeevan Newby of Motorcade Track Club was the next best qualifier at 10.39s, while Camperdown’s Junior Harris (10.45s), Orlando Wint (10.59s), also of St Elizabeth Technical and Excelsior’s Damor Miller (10.40s), are also in contention for the national title.

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 11^th 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 13^th and 15^th in qualifying Group A.

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.

Dawkins, who fouled her first two jumps, cut the sand at 12.54m on her third attempt to book her spot in the top eight, from where she jumped like a girl possessed, cutting the sand at 12.74m, before soaring to her winning mark.

She won ahead of Immaculate Conception’s Jaeda Robinson, who recorded a best jump of 13.21m, while Celine Riddle of Holmwood Technical won bronze with 13.04m.

The 18-year-old Dawkins, who took the triple jump and long jump double last year, will be looking to repeat the feat when she contests the latter on Saturday’s final day of the five-day spectacle.