Barbados claims overall title of the 12th CAC Age Group Championships

Barbados claimed the overall title of the 12th CAC Age Group Championships, held in Freeport, Bahamas, on June 18-19, with a record attendance of 125 athletes from 20 countries.

Counting the results in both categories (11-12 and 13-14), Barbados totalled 29,317 points, followed by Bahamas (26,954) and Jamaica (26,410).

Individually, Bermuda’s Jordan Bascome and Ramarco Thompson of Barbados dominated the Pentathlon for the girls and boys aged 11-12 years old respectively.

Bascome scored 2,680 points in 60m, 800m, High Jump, Long Jump and Baseball Throw, ahead of Naeemah Isidora of the Netherlands Antilles (2,557) and Lixandra Geerman of Aruba (2,555).
                        
Thompson of Barbados proved to be the most consistent among the boys with a 3,331 tally, based on his speed and jump abilities.

Juan Nunez of the Dominican Republic impressed with his massive 77.48m effort in the baseball throw, 16 metres farther than the other contestants, and his 2:54.04 time in the 1200m to finish a close second with 3222 points.

Another Barbadian, Mario Burke, rounded out the top three with 2,988 points.

The boys and girls aged 13-14 years old contested the Heptathlon, which consisted in 80m, High Jump, Long Jump and Short Put. Girls ran 800m and 60m Hurdles, and boys 1000m and 80m Hurdles.

Chelsey Linton of Dominica prevailed among 33 girls with 4,221 points, followed b Costa Rica’s Andre Vargas Mena (4130) and Tanice Watson of Barbados (4,082).

Very consistent over the seven events, Jerrad Mason of Barbados topped the list of 27 men with 5,339 points, followed by his compatriot Dario Scantlebury (5,155) and Delano Davis of Bahamas                            (4,994).

Dudly Boeldak of the Netherlands Antilles dominated the High Jump (1.78m), Shot Put (14.18), 80m Hurdles (11.73). He was also third in the Javelin (75.63), 80m (9.69) and fourth in the Long Jump (6.02).

A clear leader with one event to go, he failed to complete the 1200m.

Barbados sealed the overall victory with both 4x100m mixed relays. The 11-12 A team, with Thompson running the second leg, clocked 49.38, well clear of Jamaica ‘A’ (52.24) and Aruba ‘A’ (53.51).

The 13-14 squad, including Mason, stopped the clock in 47.26, closely followed by Bahamas 'A' (47.70) and Bermuda 'A' (48.95).

The winners were awarded by NACAC chairman and IAAF Council member and Area representative Neville McCook, as well as Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (CACAC) president Victor Lopez.

The CAC Age Group Champs started in Curacao in 1985 and are held every other year. Each team can field two boys and girls in each category.

The championships are in line with the proposals of combined events by the IAAF Youth and School Commission. The CACAC has been implementing this development strategy since 1985.

In over two decades, the competition has witnessed the emergence of many starts like Olympic and World medallist Debbie Ferguson and Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles.

Click here for more information and full results.