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.

Brenden Vanderpool of Bahamas and Guadeloupe’s Jackie Henrianne Hyman were in record-breaking form in the boys’ pole vault open and girls’ Under-20 discus finals respectively, as they topped the field event performers on the evening session of the 51st Carifta Games at Kirani James Athletics Stadium in Grenada on Saturday.

Vanderpool, who was always favoured to retain the title, needed only three jumps to confirm his championship status, as he entered the competition at 4.70m and later cleared 5.10m and the record height of 5.30m –all on his first attempts.

He attempted to go higher at 5.49m but failed. Tyler Cash (4.45m) also of Bahamas was second, with Martinique’s Lucas Ledoux (4.10m) in third.

Meanwhile, Hyman became the first Under-20 girl to go over 55.00 metres in the history of the Games, as she had a winning heave of 55.06m, which bettered the previous record of 54.19m set by Jamaica’s Fiona Richards in 2017.

In fact, Hyman had earlier erased the previous record with her third throw of 54.24m, but she went further on the following attempt to stamp her class on the field. Jamaica’s Dionjah Shaw (50.26m) and Najhada Seymoure (48.82m), were second and third respectively.

Elsewhere in the field, Jamaica’s Shaiquan Dunn and Chad Hendricks produced a one-two finish in the boys’ Under-20 discus final to add to the country’s tally.

The Jamaicans were positioned first and second from the very first throw, with Hendricks leading up to the fifth attempt, which is where Dunn took over the gold medal position.

Dunn’s winning heave of 61.47m came on his sixth and final attempt, but prior to that, he had a 59.66m, which would have also secured the top spot.

Hendricks for his part, had his best throw of 58.73m on the fifth attempt, as he fouled on his final throw, while the bronze went to Antwon Walkin (52.77m) of Turks and Caicos Island.

Another Jamaican duo Richelle Stanley and Dejanae Bruce finished first and third in the girls’ Under-20 triple jump final. Stanley, who missed out on the gold medal at the recently-concluded ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championship, viewed this Carifta Games as a shot at redemption and she duly capitalised.

The St Elizabeth Technical standout achieved the winning leap of 12.58m from her very first jump and was never to be denied from there. Trinidad and Tobago’s Keneisha Shelbourne was second at 12.49m, with Bruce’s 12.20m on her third attempt, good enough for bronze.

The Carifta Games can be seen live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App.

The Bahamas Athletic Associations named a 76-member team for this year's 51st edition of the Carifta Games, scheduled for March 30 to April 1, in Grenada.

Headlining the team are Kamera Strachan and Brenden Vanderpool, both of whom will be aiming to defend their javelin and pole vault titles respectively. The team was selected following three days of fierce competition at the trials at the Thomas A. Robinson track and field stadium last week.

Caudell McNabb will serve as head coach to the team, with James Rolle, Laquel Harrris, Alexis Roberts, Branson Rolle and Kenny Moxey, his assistants at the Easter weekend showpiece.

The under-17 girls are Alexis Roberts (200m, 400m), Keyezra Thomas (200m, 400m, high jump), Jade Knowles (800m, 1500m), Madison Moss (100m hurdles), Darvinique Dean (100m hurdles, 400m hurdles), Jasmine Thompson (400m hurdles), J’Kaiyah Rolle (long Jump), Zoé Adderley (triple Jump), Alexandria Komolafe (high jump), Terrell McCoy (discus, shot putt), Dior-Rae Scott (javelin), Kamera Strachan (javelin), Khylee Wallace (relay pool), Kianna Henchell (relay pool) and Rizpah Thompson (relay pool).

The under-17 boys are Ishmael Rolle (100m, 200m), Everette Fraser (100m, 200m), Eagan Neely (400m — pending fitness), Jayden Moss (800m), Jahcario Wilson (110m hurdles, 400m hurdles), Tieano Ferguson (400m hurdles), Terrin Beckles (long jump), Devon Davis (triple jump), Carlin Archer (triple jump), Joshua Williams (long jump, high jump), Claudius Burrows (high jump), Perry McPhee (discus), Jaylen Stuart (shot putt), Wyatt Cartwright (javelin), Ethan North (javelin), Kion Burrows (relay pool), Shavano Nixon (relay pool), Branden Mackey (relay pool) and Lamorn Moxey (relay pool).

The under-20 girls consists of Shayann Demeritte (100m), Shatalya Dorsett (100m), Nya Wright (200m), Nia Richards (200m, 100m hurdles), Jasmine Mackey (800m), Erin Barr (1500m), Akaree Roberts (800m, 1500m), Koi Adderley (long jump, high jump), Kaielle Gray (high jump), Bayli Major (triple jump), Lanaisha Lubin (long jump, triple jump), Annae Mackey (discus, shot putt), Cailyn Johnson (discus, shot putt), Taysha Stubbs (javelin), Vanessa Sawyer (javelin), Anaiah Rolle (pole vault), Jade Ferguson (pole vault), Aaliyah Evans (heptathlon), Tamia Taylor (relay pool) and Shania Adderley (relay pool).

The under-20 boys will be represented by Carlos Brown (100m), Jeremiah Adderley (100m), Zion Shepherd (400m), Tahj Brown (110m hurdles), Robert Stuart (110m hurdles), Morgan Moss (400m hurdles), Berkeley Munnings (400m hurdles), Rollie Hanna (triple jump), William McKinney (triple jump), Shamar Davis (high jump), Bernard Kemp (high jump), Robert Deal III (discus), Kaden Cartwright (javelin), Brenden Vanderpool (pole vault), Tyler Cash (pole vault), Kenny Moxey Jr. (octathlon), Marco Carey (octathlon), Jonathan Harris (relay pool), Nijae McBride (relay pool), Zion Miller (relay pool), Javano Bridgewater (relay pool) and Aiden Kelly (relay pool).

NB: The Carifta Games will be live on SportsMax and the SportsMax App. 

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.