After three exciting days of record shattering performances, the 49th staging of the CARIFTA Games concluded last evening here in Kingston, Jamaica with Team Guyana finishing with seven medals.
Thanks to the heroics of Anisha Gibbons (javelin gold), Attoya Harvey, Narissa McPherson, Javon Roberts and Adriel Austin, the Guyanese finished with two gold medals, three silver and two bronze as the 14 representatives laid it all on the track and in the field at the renowned National Stadium.
Yesterday, Harvey 16, added 800m bronze to her CARIFTA Games debut medal haul after a dominant showing in the 1500m and second place in the 3000m.
In front of the large, raucous, green, black and yellow clad crowd, despite collapsing at the finish line due to exhaustion, Harvey was able to climb the podium steps for the third occasion after putting on a gritty performance (2:14.08) in the two-lap scorcher.
US Virgin Islands’ Michelle Smith won gold in 2:10.78, while Andrene Peart of the host finished with the silver in 2:13.07.
McPherson (2:16.13) who snatched silver Saturday in the 400m final, finished fourth in the race, but shaved almost two seconds off her previous best.
Adriel Austin (2:13.62) who originally finished fourth in the Girls U-20 version of the event was elevated to bronze after initial winner, Jamaican, Rushana Dwyer (2:07.35) was disqualified for running on the line at the last curve. Her teammate, Jody-Ann Mitchell (2:09.73) Barba-dos’ Layla Haynes (2:10.58) were subsequently elevated to gold and silver.
Roberts, silver medalist in the boys 1500m, ended his campaign yesterday in the 800m disappointingly after falling just before the end of the first lap and did not finish.
Meanwhile, also yesterday, sprinter Keliza Smith (24.40) who finished just off the podium in the blue riband 100m, agonizingly ended her campaign in fourth place once again in the 200m. She was edged off the podium by Jamaica’s Kayla Kelly (24.33).
Brianna Lyston (23.16) of Jamaica and Trinidad’s Shaniqua Bascombe (24.18) placed 1-2 in the half lap event.
At the closing ceremony, it was officially announced that The Bahamas will play host to the event next year.
Originally scheduled to be held in Guyana, the 50th staging of the showpiece will be held in the 242 for the eighth occasion. Bahamas last hosted the annual fixture in 2018 at the Thomas Robinson National Stadium.
