- PHOTO BY ANTHONY FOSTER
Members of Jamaica's record-breaking Carifta Games Under-17 4x100m quartet (from left) Natasha Ruddock, Latoya King, Danique Jeffery, and Francine Simpson pose on the medal podium after receiving their gold medal at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago. The Jamaicans won in 45.43 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark recorded by their compatriots in 2001.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
BACOLET, Tobago:
JAMAICA REWROTE the girls' Under-17 4x100-metre record on the way to winning three of the four sprint relay titles on yesterday's second day of the XXXIV Carifta Games at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago.
The team of Natasha Ruddock, Latoya King, Francine Simpson and Danique Jeffrey (running order), sped to victory in 45.43 seconds. They eclipsed the previous record of 45.44 that was established by their compatriots in 2001.
Trinidad and Tobago (46.59) finished second with The Bahamas (46.96) third.
In all, Jamaica won three of the four sprint relays, including the girls' Under-20 and boys' Under-17. The boys' Under-20 team dropped the baton in the semis and failed to advance, following a mix-up between lead-off runner Omar Brown and Mickel Downer who stood his ground.
WELL-TIMED RACE
World Junior Championships bronze medallist Sherene Pinnock repeated her 400m hurdles success in the final. The defending champion ran a well-timed race to win in an impressive 57.18 seconds.
The victory numbered among Jamaica's nine wins, more than half the number of finals contested up to press time last night.
At that point, Jamaica's medal count stood at 31 16 gold, eight silver and seven bronze.
Pinnock, who was forced to play catch-up on the backstretch, came into the straight behind her teammate and second place finisher Nickeisha Wilson (57.38), but used her speed to clinch an easy victory.
ONE-TWO FOR JAMAICA
Romel Lewis won the boys' Under-20 equivalent in 52.79 ahead of his Jamaican teammate Tywayne Buchanan (53.36) and Barbados' Terry Marshall (53.69).
In the boys' Under-17 race, Dwight Robinson (53.67) won ahead of Bahamas' Nathan Arnette (53.76) and Trinidad & Tobago's Ansil Nicholson (54.27). The other Jamaican, Keiron Stewart was fourth in 54.65 seconds.
The girls' Under-17 300m hurdles went to Christiana Mitchell, who had to break from competition in the high jump. She took gold in 43.85 seconds, beating Bahamian Natoya Beneby (44.05) and Jamaican team-mate Shana-Gay Tracey (44.42).
Geneva Greaves won Jamaica's second field event medal when she threw 35.42 metres to land the girls' Under-17 discus title, while Stacey-Ann Bell took the girls' 3000m final.
Jamaica's biggest surprise came in the boys' Under-20 100m when Remaldo Rose (10.58) placed fourth in the final on Saturday night.
Rose, a silver medallist last year, was never in contention for a medal from the start as Antigua and Barbuda's Daniel Bailey; the back-to-back champion, blew away the field to win in 10.36.
However, some pride was restored when Yohan Blake won the boys' Under-17 100m in 11.01 seconds.
In the girls' Under-17 section, Natasha Ruddock, who replaced Lotaya King, was fourth in 11.92, two places ahead of her teammate Danielle Jeffrey (11.95). Antigua & Barbuda's Anika Jon-Baptiste (11.79) won the event.
Shelly-Ann Fraser (11.73) was third in the girls' Under-20 100m, which was won by local 'hero' Kelly-Ann Baptiste in 11.39 seconds. Kimberley Smith who replaced Schillonie Calvert was eighth in 11.95.
Jamaica's Phelecia Reynolds (37.29m) and Venese Simms (33.85m) were fifth and ninth respectively in the girls' Under-20 discus, while Geneva Greaves (11.47m) finished fourth in the girls' Under-17 shot put.
Sonita Sutherland won the girls' 400 metres in 54.22 seconds.
