Jamaica continues dominance at NACAC

Jamaicans dominated on Saturday’s second day of the NACAC Under 18/23 Championships in Apizaco, Mexico, adding 25 more medals to take their tally to 41 after winning three of four gold medals in the sprint hurdles, 400m and the 400m hurdles.

On Saturday, Jamaican athletes added another 14 gold medals after winning eight on the first day, for a two-day total of 22 gold, 12 silver, and seven bronze, with today’s final day of competition still to come.

Shaquane Gordon, the National Junior College champion, ran 13.54 seconds (0.5m/s) to win the Men’s Under-23 110m hurdles, getting to the finish line ahead of his fellow Jamaican Andre Harris who clocked 13.73 seconds.

Tejuan Webbe of St Kitts/Nevis took the bronze medal with 14.26 seconds.

Alexis James won the Women’s Under-23 gold with 13.08 seconds (0.3m/s), beating Puerto Rico’s Keishla Garcia – 13.53 seconds and Maya Rollins of Barbados, third with 13.59 seconds.

Tashana Godfrey ran a personal best 13.30 seconds (0.4m/s) to win the Girls’ Under-18 100m hurdles; her previous best was 13.40 seconds.

Costa Rica’s Rihana Mora Saint was second in 13.64 seconds and Franjeliz De La Cruz of Puerto Rico third in 14.65 seconds.

Brandon Bennett was third in the Boys’ Under-18 110m hurdles with 13.96 seconds (2.0m/s) after race favourite Marquis Page failed to complete the race.

Jahcario Wilson of the Bahamas won with 12.94 seconds with Barbados’ Jakobi Browne-Smith finishing second in 13.57 seconds.

Jasauna Dennis ran a personal best 45.33 seconds to win the Men’s Under-23 400m, under the 45.38 seconds he ran in May this year at a meet in Florida. He beat two Puerto Ricans Jarrell Cruz, who took the silver – and Alejandro Rosado, who got the bronze.

Jason Pitter ran 45.98 seconds to win the Boys’ Under-18 final ahead of Zachary Wall of Barbados who clocked 46.34 seconds as Jordan Rehedul took the bronze medal with 47.12 seconds.

Shameika McLean also won the Under-18 Girls’ 400m with 52.37 seconds, ahead of Trinidad’s Eden Chee Wah- 52.48 seconds with Daniellia Dixon third in 53.22 seconds.

Oneika Brissett ran a personal best 52.73 seconds in the Women’s Under-23 final but finished outside the medals in fourth place.

Romario Stewart took the Men’s Under-23 400m hurdles gold, running 50.21 seconds, just beating Puerto Rico’s Yan Vasquez – 50.24 seconds while Antonio Forbes was third in 50.43 seconds.

Kelly Ann Carr won the Women’s Under-23 gold, running 57.40 seconds, beating Grace Otero of Puerto Rico who took the silver with 58.38 seconds while Mariangel Nunez of Costa Rica was third in 1:00.45.

Ruheim McIntosh ran a personal best 51.43 seconds to win the Under-18 Boys’ 400m hurdles, going under the 52.31 seconds he set at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association’s Trials in June.

Mexico’s Cristobal Higuera won the silver medal with 52.36 seconds, Joan Aguero of Costa Rica was third with 53.72 seconds, and Jaeden Campbell fourth in 54.34 seconds.

Zavien Bernard won her second gold medal of the championships in the Girls’ Under-18 long jump with a big personal best 6.21m (0.0m/s). She bettered her previous best of 6.07m and is just outside the automatic qualifying mark for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships.

Two Bahamians took the other medals; Jazae Johnson was second with 6.13m (0.0m/s) and J’Kaiyah Rolle third with 5.73m (-0.2m/s).

Britannie Johnson, who was second in the Women’s Under-23 discus on Friday, took the gold in the shot put yesterday with 16.51m, with her teammate Kimeka Smith second with 16.27m, and Ryah Dates of Barbados third with a mark of 15.26m.

Jamaica also got the gold and silver in the Boy’s Under-18 high jump. Selethel Johnson just edged Nikaro Johnson on the count back after both cleared 2.05m.

Mexico’s Angel Santiago Hernandez was third with 1.90m.

Xhaevion Kelly threw a personal best 18.60m with the 5K ball in the Boys’ Under-18 shot put, with discus throw gold medalist Kamari Kennedy placing third with 18.04m. Jayden Walcott of Barbados won with a personal best 21.82m, extending his World Under-18 lead.

Jamie Lee Tullouch, who missed a medal in Friday’s discus throw, took the Girls’ Under-18 shot put silver with 14.83m behind Mexico’s Kendra Silvery Duany who won with 16.98m, her second gold after winning the discus.

Milagros Guadalupe Ayon, also of Mexico, was third with 13.80m with Jamaica’s Zoeyann Plummer finishing sixth with 11.60m.