– Jamaica most dominant

By Rawle Toney

The Golden Arrowhead did not fly from the podium on the fourth and final day of the 2009 Junior CARIFTA Games in St Lucia as Javina Straker, Jonella Jonas and Ricardo Martin all failed to medal.

Competing at the George Odlum Stadium, Martin finished fifth in a closely contested boys’ under-17 800 metres (m), running a time of 1:57.93, while Straker (2:22.10) and Jonas (2:23.70) who were both competing in the girls’ under-17 800m had to settle for sixth and seventh places respectively.

At the end of the four-day regional athletics championship, Guyana’s ten-member contingent mustered three medals.

Straker won gold in the girls’ under-17 1500m), Martin took silver in the boys’ under-17 1500m and Jonas settled for bronze in the girls’ under-17 1500m.

However, a lot of positives came out of the tour which was led by Coach Leslie Black, as three athletes made the qualifying times for the IAAF World Youth Champ-ionship which is set for Italy from July 8-12.

Straker and Jonas both qualified for the girls’ under-17 800m after running 2:14:74 and 2:15:86 respectively and beating the games qualifying time of 2:16.00. Martin made his time in the 800m as well after running 1:57.93 as compared to the world youth championship minimum time of 1:58.00.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s athletes accentuated their regional dominance with a sweep of all the 200m and three of the four 1600m relay titles in a riveting climax to the 38th CARIFTA Games.

In striding to an awesome 25th consecutive medal-topping display at the regional meet, the Jamaicans gathered 67 medals — 39 gold, 15 silver and 13 bronze – well ahead of Trinidad and Tobago, whose team garnered nine gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze medals.