CARIFTA Games Daily Report Through Sunday
(This is a continuing blog so please scroll down for each days' report)
SATURDAY'S REPORT
Cedric Walker and I are here in Bermuda for the CARIFTA Games. The Games, founded in 1972, are meant to enhance relationships between the countries represented and impress upon all the commonality of purpose shared between the Caribbean Islands. Since its inauguration the Games have grown from strength to strength and has been described by IAAF President Lamine Diack, (himself a frequent spectator at the GAMES), as being on par with the World Championships.
Bermuda is a bit different from most Caribbean islands. Most notably because this time of the year its actually cold! Well... cold by Caribbean standards which means very low 70s during the day and dipping into the 50s at night! The island is stunning with its pastel painted houses, white roofs, pink buses and pink sand. But, its cold- and very windy! And, yes, its a cold wind!
However, the competition is anything but cold.In fact, its downright hot. The battle lines have been drawn and the traditional rivalries, particularly between Jamaica and the Bahamas has begun. This evening's session which featured finals in the 1500m, 400m and 100 meters gave us just a taste of what's coming over the next two days.
We left the stadium prior to the conclusion of some of the field events. But, with just the finals in the above 3 running events tallied, Jamaica leads the Bahamas 7-5 in the gold medal count.
Jamaica swept the 1500 meters winning both the male and female sections of both the Under 17 and Under 20 divisions. They had only one win in the 400 coming from Yanique McNeal in the girls Under 17 division. The remaining three races were won by Bahamanians including Rashan Brown who represented this hemisphere at the 2010 World Youth Olympics in Singapore, and O’Jay Ferguson, the current Bahamanian National High School record holder in the event and now a student at Western Texas College in Snyder, TX.
The two nations split the 100 meters with Jamaicans Shauna Helps winning the Under 17 girls and Jazeel Murphy taking out the field in the Under 20 boys. Murphy, who won the 2011 CARIFTA Games 100 at 10.27, has been dubbed the “next great sprinter” from Jamaica. This evening’s 10.31 was wind-aided (+5.7) but he has a personal best of 10.27.
Cliff Resias won the Under 17 boys 100 for the Bahamas and Anthonique Strachan clocked 11.22 (with a +4.4 wind) to win the Under 20 girls race. Strachan equalled Veronica Campbell-Brown’s Pan American Junior 200 meter record last year running 22.93 in the heats but has a personal best of 22.70. She represented the Bahamas earlier this year at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
Tonight, the winds continue to howl. Tomorrow’s forecast promises more wind and it will be a nippy mid 60’s for the evening session. Competition tomorrow will include the 3/400 meter hurdles, 800 meters and the 4x100 relays. And, the stadium will be packed and perhaps even noisier and vibrant than it was today.
Full results can be seen at http://ondirunevents.com/meetmanager/ and the live feed is located at http://www.lime.com/carifta/live.jsp?cy=BM Be forewarned... it is not free. We will do our best to tweet updates provided we have access to the internet in the stadium.
SUNDAY'S REPORT
The weather improved significantly today- warmer temperatures, sunshine and less wind. The stadium was filled to capacity and louder and more jubilant than yesterday!
Competition began with a little controversy over the disqualification the evening before of Minzie JeVaughn in the Under 20 100 meters. JeVaughn was disqualified for a false start which was not called back by the recall starter. A protest was lodged and won by the Bahamanians who originally placed third in the race and it was eventually upheld today. Plans to rerun the race in order to overcome any unfairness to the other competitors were also reversed and the results from Saturday evening stand.
Jamaica continued its medal run today ending the evening with well over 40 medals! They won most of the events including the boys pole vault, three of the 800 meter races and 4x1 relays, and the boys Under 17 3000 meters. Host nation, Bermuda, collected its first gold in the boys Under 17 triple jump and a silver in the boys Under 20 800 meters.
Competition concludes tomorrow with a full day of events including the hurdles, 200 meters, 4x400 relays and much anticipated boys Under 20 triple jump which will feature the Collie-Minns twins, Lathone and Lathario from the Bahamas who placed first and third at last year's World Youth Championships in France.
