[ATHLETICS]

XXXIX CARIFTA GAMES Cayman Islands

Watch Live Streaming of the CARIFTA Games

by Michael Bascombe

GEORGETOWN, Cayman Islands, April 4, 2010 – A determined effort from Lyndon Toussaint in his remaining events in the strong-man Heptathlon secured a third medal for Grenada at the 39th Junior CARIFTA Games here at the Truman Bodden Sporting Complex on Sunday.

Toussaint pulled back a victory in the discus throw (48.41m) and finished second in the 1500m (4:55.74) to take the bronze medal. It was a great comeback for Toussaint who struggled in his two first events (110m hurdles and long jump).

He won the javelin throw (49.19m), finished fifth in the 200m (23.39secs) and was sixth in the high jump (1.59m) in totalling 4234 points. Toussaint benefitted from Kemar Jones of Barbados fouling in the discus and an injury to Julien Fletcher of Trinidad and Tobago who pulled out of the remaining two events.

Ramone Bailey of Jamaica copped the gold with a total of 4586 points with Tre Adderley securing the silver for the Bahamas with 4264 points.

Eric Creedland fell short of a medal, finishing fourth in the Boys Under 17 Shot Put with a 15.35m effort from his last attempt. In that event, Jamaican Chadrick Decosta established a new championship record of 16.99m, erasing Dominican Dillon Simon’s 2008 mark of 16.63m.

Kirani James and Lucy Fortune are into Monday’s finals of the 200 metres. James was a comfortable winner in his Under 20 semi-final heat (21.10secs) while Fortune was second in her Under 17 heat (24.47secs). Nickhelia John failed to qualify for the Girls Under 20 final after finishing fifth in her semi-final heat (25.10secs).

Jamaica leads the medal count with 42 including 20 gold medals, followed by Trinidad and Tobago (24), Bahamas (20), Barbados (7), Bermuda (5), St. Lucia (4) Grenada (3), St. Kitts and Nevis (2), Martinique (2), Netherlands Antilles (2), Cayman Islands (1), Guyana (1), US Virgin Islands (1), Antigua and Barbuda (1), and Dominica (1).

Photo credits: www.time4lime.com

DAY ONE

GEORGETOWN, Cayman Islands, April 3, 2010 – World Youth 400m champion Kirani James kept his name on the record books as he picked up one of two medals for Grenada on the opening day of the 39^th Junior CARIFTA Games here at the Truman Bodden Sporting Complex on Saturday.

James, who earlier told reporters that he was looking to better his CARIFTA mark, ran his own race as he pulled away from his challengers after 200 metres to win the Boys Under 20 400m in a personal and championship record of 45.02secs - the third fastest time in the world so far this year.

“I’m taking it stride by stride, meet by meet,” said James, in answering reporters’ questions about a world record.

James’ victory followed a previous disqualification of Kanika Beckles in the Girls Under 20 400 metres. Beckles, who was disqualified for stepping on the line, was later reinstated to third position in a time of 54.04 seconds. The top positions went to Katarina Smith of the Bahamas (53.71) and Sparkle McKnight of Trinidad and Tobago (53.96).

The former St. David’s Catholic Secondary School athlete, who now attends Essex County College, was among favourites for the gold medal after finishing strong in her qualifying heat.

In other results, Lucy Fortune finished fifth in the Girls Under 17 100m in 12.07 and Lyndon Toussaint won the Javelin Throw (49.19m) and finished fifth in the 200m in the Men Heptathlon. He has a combined score of 2355 points after four events (110mh, long jump, javelin, 200m).

RONDELL BARTHOLOMEW SPLITS 44.63 AT TEXAS RELAYS

ALL DATA, INFORMATION AND PHOTOS ON THIS SITE CAN ONLY BE USED IF THE SOURCE IS DULY INDICATED.

XXXIX CARIFTA GAMES Cayman Islands