SHOT PUT GLORY

Marla-Kay Lampart and Kamari Kennedy set shot put records on Sunday’s second and penultimate day of the 52nd Carifta Track and Field Championships as perennial champions Jamaica continued to lead the medal table on their way to yet another title.

Lampart broke her own Jamaica Under-20 record of 15.98m which was set in January when she threw a sensational 17.44m.

Kennedy got a personal best 18.90m to break the record 18.80m set 12 months ago by compatriot Javontae Smith in Grenada.

At press time on Sunday, before the 4x100m relay finals, Jamaica led the medal tables with 35 medals (13 gold, 11 silver, and 11 bronze). They were followed by The Bahamas with 16 medals (seven gold, seven silver, and two bronze), hosts Trinidad and Tobago, on nine medals, including four gold, two silver, and three bronze, and the Cayman Islands with two gold medals.

At the end of the second day last year, Jamaica had amassed 49 medals, including 24 gold, 15 silver, and 10 bronze.

Lampart, who had only four attempts as she injured a finger, surpassed the previous Carifta Games record of 15.75m set in 2002 by Claudia Vileneuve of Martinique.

Annae Mackey threw a Bahamian Under-20 record 17.14m to take second place, while last year’s winner, Jamaica’s Kimeka Smith, took bronze with 14.95m.

Kennedy started slowly, but finished powerfully as he broke his own previous best of 18.82m set in late February. His teammate Brandon Lawrence took the bronze medal with 16.62m, also a lifetime best.

Jamaica’s Michael-Andre Edwards won what he hopes will be the first of two gold medals when he took the Under-20 boys long jump with 7.41m (-0.6m/s).

William MvKinney of The Bahamas was second with 7.36m (0.0m/s), with Teon Haynes of Barbados repeating his bronze from last year with 7.35m (1.4m/s).

Defending champion Ricoy Hunter had one legal mark, 6.31m (-2.2m/s) and failed to get past the first round.

Jamaica picked up silver and bronze in the Under-17 girls discus throw. Davika Lewis was second with 40.81m and Jamie-Lee Tulloch was third with 37.65m. Kaliah Haye of the Cayman Islands, who threw 44.91m, won the event.

Robert Miller ran a personal best 50.42 seconds to win the gold medal in the 400m hurdles in his first year in the Under-20 age group. Miller battled from behind over the last four barriers to win.

His teammate Princewell Martin was second in 51.41, repeating his silver medal performance from last year, while Akanye Samuel-Francis of St Kitts and Nevis took bronze with 51.56.

Jaeden Campbell was second in the Under-17 final with a lifetime best 53.61. His teammate Eshanee Porter took bronze with 54.26, as Jahcario Wilson of The Bahamas won with 52.44.

Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands closed out her brilliant Carifta Games career with a third-straight win in the Under-20 400m hurdles and fourth victory in a row at the championship. She clocked 56.60, well ahead of the field, with Jamaica’s Shavaughn Thomas second with 58.60 and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jenna-Marie Thomas third with 59.60.

Jamaica’s Alyssa Carty was third in the Under-17 girls 400m hurdles final, running 1:03.62. Syrmiah Crawley of The Bahamas won with 1:02.85 and Trinidad and Tobago’s Durliana Rouse was second with 1:03.48.

Selethel Johnson won the Under-17 boys high jump, equalling his personal best 2.03m. He beat Obadiah Cherizar of The Bahamas (1.95m) and Grenada’s Joshua Telesford, who also got over 1.95m.