Carifta champions Jamaica made a robust start to their title defence on the first day of the three-day athletics meet here yesterday.

The regional powerhouse ruled proceedings at the National Sports Centre last night to leave all other countries in the dust with a whooping 26 medals ? 12 golds, eight silvers and six bronzes.

The black, gold and green of the Jamaican flag was flying high in almost every race as they captured three of the four 100-metre finals before repeating that feat in the 400 metres.

However, their evening?s success was started by a 1-2 in the Girls Under-17 1500 metres with Jessica McLeod (4:51.38) being followed home by her compatriot Doranie Samuels (4:57.27). Bengallo Morrison and Desrick Brooks copped silver and bronze in the Boys? equivalent to keep Jamaica?s medals coming while Kayann Thompson and Vanessa Whittle finished first and second in the Under-20 Girls? 1500 metres.

On the field, Raymond Brown (15.82 metres) and Ramone Berch (15.22 metres) claimed the two top podium spots in the Boys? Under-17 shot put while another Jamaican, Andre Drummond, took the Under-20 Boys? 1500 metres in 4:05.04.

?I feel great. It?s tough to make the Jamaican team and I just wanted to do well in my first Carifta,? said 17-year-old Drummond.

Then came time for the Land of Wood and Water to really strut their track prowess and that they did!

Schilloni Calvert and Kimberly Smith were hard to separate in the Under-17 Girls? 100 metres, clocking 11.98 and 11.99 seconds respectively for their country with Bahamian T?Shonda Webb third in 12.16.

?I feel proud that I got a medal ? not for myself but for the whole of Jamaica,? said 15-year-old Calvert.

Ramalo Tuner edged out Barbadian Dario Alleyne in a thriller to capture the Under-17 Boys? 100-metre showdown for Jamaica, both being timed in 11.13 seconds with Guyana?s Dax Danns third in 11.18.

?It?s unbelievable. I don?t know what to say. That was such a close race. I thought I was going to fall but I came through. It?s the best race of my life,? declared Tuner, ?high-fiving? Alleyne afterwards.

Despite her disappointment at the time, Simone Facey was pleased to live up to expectations and keep the Jamaican camp happy as she wrested the senior Girls? 100 metres in 11.72 seconds from her team-mate Jodi-Ann Powell (11.86).

Daniel Bailey of Antigua thwarted a 100-metre sweep by the reggae land with a 10.54 in the Under-20 Boys? sprint to pip Jamaica?s Renaldo Rose (10.58) and Bahamian Grafton Ifill (10.60).

?It feels really good because last year I didn?t do too well at Carifta and I said I would take my revenge this year. It motivated me to do more training,? said 17-year-old Bailey.

The script was the same in the 400-metre finals with Jamaica prevailing in all but the Boys? Under-17 division which saw a runaway conquest for Alleyne as Barbadian fans waved their Broken Tridents in jubilation.

?I feel happy but really tired. I just decided to get up and run hard. There?s a lot of wind on the home stretch so you have to really open up coming home,? said the 15-year-old whose gold (48.44 seconds) added to his 100-metre silver on his Carifta debut.

Guyana?s Danns also collected his second medal of the night, being the runner-up in 49.47 seconds.

Trinidad & Tobago?s Rhonda Watkins exhibited her true potential as her graduation to the Under-20 level proved no problem in the sandpit. She struck gold with a 6.29 metre effort to deny Bermuda?s Zindzi Swan top billing before her home crowd.

?I?m so enthused. It?s such a big leap from Under-17 and I was just hoping to make a PB (personal best), not to medal,? said the 16-year-old gold medallist, now with a rare chance to repeat her 2003 double if she wins the triple jump also.

Darvin Edwards of St. Lucia found it easy going in the senior Boys? high jump with his 2.06 metres being enough to beat the competition, many of whom ?went out early?, he noted.

In the morning session, Aymara Albury got The Bahamas off to a fine start with a personal best throw of 44.30 metres to wrest the Under-20 Girls? discus; her first gold in that event.

?The wind was a little bit of a problem because it wasn?t blowing in the right direction. So you had to put it out there the right way or it could have been really messy,? said the 18-year-old in her fifth Games.

Albury will be aiming to repeat her golden performance in this evening?s shot put final to end her Carifta career on a high.

French-speaking island, Guadeloupe, were also celebrating early with Johanna Wachter and Lyvie-Paola Laurent winning the Girls? Under-17 shot put (11.98 metres) and long jump (5.97 metres) respectively.

Jamaica?s Omari Dookie soared to victory in the Boys? Under-17 high jump, clearing 1.95 metres on his third attempt to beat Bahamian Sheldon King (1.85 metres) into second.