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Jamaica power to top of medal table

Shaquille Dill battled his way to a silver medal during the 800 metres race at the Carifta Games at the National Stadium Sunday ( Photo by Glenn Tucker )

Caribbean powerhouse Jamaica continued to dominate the Carifta Games with their medal count now standing at 49, including a staggering 25 golds.Jamaica, who have long reigned supreme at the annual regional event, have almost double the amount of their nearest rivals, the Bahamas, who have 25 medals.Having claimed another two medals yesterday, courtesy of Justin Donawa’s gold in the triple jump and Shaquille Dill’s 800 metres silver, Bermuda are in fifth behind Trinidad and British Virgin Islands.Jamaican pole vaulter Xavier Boland set the tone for the second day of the Games, winning gold in the open boys event with a jump of 4.40 metres although he came up short in his attempt to set a new Games record.Fellow Jamaican, Paul Ann Gayle, managed to succeed where Boland failed, though, twice shattering the Under-17 Girls discus record with a throws of 42.06 and 43.99 metres.Trinidad and Tobago’s Chelsea James also established a new Games record in the Girls Under-17 shot put. The 14-year-old was competing in her first Games and claimed gold with a throw of 14.2 metres.As it was the first time a 3.0K weight class had been introduced at Carifta, the winner of yesterday’s event was always destined to establish a new record.James, who hails from Tobago, said her gold medal achievement had been beyond her expectations.“Considering it was my Carifta debut I am delighted to win gold. The distance I threw was beyond my expectations,” she said.“The weather conditions were not great, though, I’m not used to it being so cold.”Gleneve Grange earned Jamaica another gold in the open girls pentathlon with 3292 points, with Bermuda pair Jordan Bascome (2310) and Aaliya Nolan (2098) finishing sixth and eighth respectively.In the Girls Under-17 800 metres, Jamaica added to their massive medal haul with Tiffany James taking gold in a time of two minutes and 18.11 seconds. Her team-mate, Chantai Smith claimed silver (2:18.26) with British Virgin Islands Lakeisha Warner placing third (2:18.26).Bermuda’s Kyrah Scraders, who won silver in Saturday’s Under-17 gGrls 1500 metres, came fourth in 2:21.43, while her team-mate Quinnae Outerbridge came sixth in 2:25.36.Outerbridge insisted she had given everything she had in her Games debut. “I was very pleased; I did my best and couldn’t go anymore,” she said. “This is my first time at Carifta and the experience has been good. I was a little nervous at first but I’m not anymore. It was a very fast race and it wasn’t any wind so nothing was holding us back.”Jamaica stormed their way to a one-two in the Under-17 Boys 800 metres with Ricardo McKenzie grabbing gold (2:02.73) and Orville Dixon taking silver (2:02.98). Bermuda’s Michaiah Robinson finished sixth in a time of 2:07.10.Robinson said he was encouraged with his maiden Carifta performance and felt he gave a good account of himself.“It was easier than expected, I felt the times they put out were not that fast and that I could have ran that with ease,” he said. “I went out a bit timid and that left me with a lot to do, but I realised that I could compete with them and went about my job. It was my first time at the Games and I still have two years left so I will look to grab a medal soon.”The gold medals kept rolling in for Jamaica with Simoya Campbell winning the Girls Under-20 800 metres in 2:08.48.Okeen Williams also added a gold to Jamaica’s mammoth medal tally, winning the boys 400 metres hurdles (53.15) ahead of his team-mate Marvin Williams who claimed silver (54.96). D’Mitry Charlton, of the Bahamas, won bronze in 54.99, however the biggest cheer of the race was saved for Bermuda’s Jermiah Steede, 15, who won the hearts of the home crowd despite coming last.The hero hurdler picked himself up after falling at the third jump to limp over the finish line in 1:34.00, and required medical treatment at the trackside for a suspected hamstring injury.Fighting back the tears after the race, Steede, who attends CedarBridge Academy, said: “At least I finished I hurt my leg and it’s really sore.”In the Girls Under-20 javelin, Alexie Alais of French Guiana, won gold with a throw of 47.17 metres, Martinique’s Sandrine Mezen came second (44.56) and Alexandria Paul of Bahamas came third (32.41).Trinidad’s Kenejah Williams won the Boys Under-17 discuss with a throw of 50.36 metres. Drexal Maycock took silver (45.35) and Shamar Kitson of Jamaica claimed bronze (44.34).Bermuda’s Quinn Simmons finished sixth with a leap of 38.22m.