Courtesy of Amadeo Francis
19 April 2001 - Jamaican athletes won 26 events at the 30th edition of the Carifta Games (the Caribbean Junior Track and Field Championships) held in Nassau, Bahamas over the Easter weekend. Their closest contenders were Grenada, with eight wins, Trinidad and Tobago with seven and Martinique with six. However, a total of 14 countries medalled with Jamaica taking home a total of 63 medals, followed by host Barbados (23), Martinique (21), Trinidad and Tobago (19) and Granada (17).
Four hundred and three athletes from 22 countries, accompanied by 90 officials, took part in the meeting at which Pauline Davis-Thompson was a special honoree. Pauline, a Carifta champion with three sprint victories in an early version of the Carifta Games went on to win silver in the 400 meters at the World Championships in Gothenberg, and the 200 meters in the Sydney Olympics and was a part of the winning Bahamas sprint relay quartet at the 2000 Olympics, having previously won the 1999 World Championships event and placed second at the Atlanta Olympics.
In the under-17 category, competitors recorded 78 performances that met and/or surpassed the qualifying standards for the 2nd IAAF World Youth Championships to be held in Debrecen, Hungary later this year.
A total of nine Carifta records were set.
In the U-20 categories by Darrell Brown (TRI), 10.24 in the 100 meters; Damion Barry of Trinidad, 46.51 in the 400 meters; Damon Thompson (BAR) , 2.20 in the High Jump; the 4x100 meter relay team from Trinidad with 40.19; by reigning World Youth and Junior 100/200 meter champion from Jamaica, Veronica Campbell ran 22.93 in the 200 meters while Melanie Walker (JAM) recorded 56.90 in the 400 hurdles.
In the under 17 categories, new records were set in the 800 meters (boys) by Kern Harripersad of Trinidad with 1:55.20; Patrick Lee (JAM), 13.20 in the 100 meter intermediate hurdles; while the Jamaican girls relay team recorded 45.44 in the 4x100 meters.
Full results are available at www.cfpitiming.com or www.baritac.com
