Four records, 84 medals make JAAA boss proud

FOLLOWING ITS 38th consecutive medal-table-topping performance at the 51st staging of the Carifta Games which ended in St George’s, Grenada, on Monday, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), Garth Gayle, is singing the praises of the management staff and athletes.

Jamaica mined 84 medals, including 45 gold, 23 silver, and 16 bronze.

“The curtain has come down on another successful Carifta Games and congratulations to the team led by our management staff, Chef de Mission David Wilson, principal of Clarendon College, Chaperone Cherine Richards, coaches led by technical director David Riley, and the athletes for another marvellous job,” said Gayle of the joint-third highest medal haul in the country’s history.

“All in all, our athletes acquitted themselves proudly and with distinction following a very hectic Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, as they were able to go through their paces and we would have tallied 84 medals. We at the JAAA are very proud of our young athletes as they continue with their excellent performances,” he said.

With the World Under-20 Championships coming up later this year from August 27-31, Gayle is confident in the coaches’ ability to continue getting the best out of the athletes.

“I am very confident that the coaches will continue their excellent preparation of their athletes, as we look forward to closing the season with the World Under-20 Championship, slated for Lima, Peru, later in the year,” said Gayle.

The medal haul ties with the Carifta Games of 2004 in Bermuda, only superseded by the 92 the athletes tallied in Kingston, Jamaica, two years ago.

Then, the Jamaicans copped 45 gold, 29 silver, and 18 bronze.

At the end of the Games on Monday, Jamaica had seven double winners, while four youngsters are new record holders.

Natassia Fletcher won the girls’ Under-17 400 metres and 400-metre hurdles, Jamella Young copped the Under-17 discus and shot put, while Kimeka Smith dominated the Under-20 shot put and heptathlon.

Among the boys, Javontae Smith won the Under-17 discus and shot put, Chavez Penn captured the Under-20 high and triple jumps, Shaquain Dunn won the Under-20 discus and shot put, and Kemarrio Bygrave came out on top in the Under-20 800 and 1500 metres.

Jaeda Robinson led the four new record holders in the Under-17 girls’ triple jump with 12.69 metres, while Smith in the boys’ Under-17 shot put, threw the implement out to 18.80m. Nickecoy Bramwell broke Usain Bolt’s 22-year-old mark, to lay down 47.27 seconds as the goal for other aspiring Under-17 400 stars, while in the boys’ under-17 400-metre hurdles, Miller could find no equal in the event’s history, clocking 52.19 seconds.