Jamaican athletes put on a very impressive show at the Carifta Games with a record medal haul. Spectators attempted to spoil their mood by booing them but they were not perturbed.

Published Tuesday, April 24, 1990

Carifta Games 1990: Record 73 medals for Jamaica

By Raymond Graham

JAMAICA’s strength in regional track and field was once again demonstrated at the National Stadium last weekend as the island pocketed a record 73 medals at 19th Carifta Junior Games.

The tally which beat last year’s 62 in Barbados read 32 gold, 27 silver and 14 bronze. Closest rivals Bahamas were way behind with 28 medals – five gold, nine silver and 14 bronze. Barbados came next with 17 medals – five gold, five silver and seven bronze.

Although Jamaica dominated action on the track, it was Cayman Islands Under-20 athlete Kareem Steele-Thompson who walked away with top honours. For the second year in a row, he copped the Austin Sealy Trophy for being the most outstanding athlete for the meet. This coming after his brilliant leap of 26ft 1/2in (7.94m) in winning the long jump event. At last year’s in Barbados, Steele-Thompson got the award for a leap of over 25 feet in winning the Under-17 event.

On the final day of competition on Saturday, Jamaica continued where they left off on the previous two days as they continued to finish 1-2 in most events. Jamaica copped another 14 gold on Saturday with some of the athletes copping their second individual gold.

Female team captain Diane Guthrie made up for her disappointing show in the high jump the previous day when she was beaten by her teammate Joyce Evans by capturing the gold in the long jump with a leap of 20ft 8¼inches (m). Her teammate Debbie Ann Parris took the bronze here with a leap of 7¼in (5.98m). Here the defending champion Dephane Saunders of Bahamas who leapt over 21 ft to win last year finished a disappointing fourth.

Double winners

Nicole Mitchell, Leon Gordon, Claudine Williams, Escofferey Thomas and Eroll Campbell all won on Saturday to take their second individual gold of the championship.

Mitchell who had previously took the gold in the 200 metres returned to complete the sprint double winning the 100m in 11.77 seconds. Her teammate Maxine Dawkins who went into the final with the second fastest time had to be withdrawn from the race due to injury.

Vere’s outstanding 13-year-old Claudine Williams, who must have been very close in receiving the Top Award, gave an outstanding performance in winning the Under-17 800m.

The long-legged Williams disposed of her rivals early in the 800m to record the impressive time of 2:09.83 seconds with her teammate Charmaine Howell finishing second in 2:12.64 seconds.

The performance by Williams here who had earlier captured the 1500m event was indeed a remarkable one as her time was faster than the winner of the Under-20 category. Williams who can run distances from 400m to 3,000m looks good for the future and she has another two years in the Under-17 age group.

Revoli Campbell took the sprint double in the Under-20 age group as after capturing the 200m on the first day she returned to win the 100 metres in a career best 11.54 seconds with her teammate Merlene Frazer taking the silver in 11.77 seconds.

Campbel,l who has never lost at these Games since making her debut in 1987, was winning her eight individual medal at this level as he defended her titles successfully. Campbell, a slow starter, got an even break here as she overhauled her rivals in the first 40 metres to score an easy victory.

Leon Gordon also captured the sprint double as he sprinted away from his rivals to win the 100m in 10.87 seconds ahead of Steve Garn of Martinque in 11.04 seconds with his teammate Michael Cowans taking the bronze in 11.10 seconds.

Escofferey Thomas, who also made it a double as after capturing the 1500m Under-17 on Friday, returned to win the 800m in 1:55.39 seconds with his teammate Horace Steele of Papine Secondary taking the silver in 1:59.39 seconds.

Other gold medal winners for Jamaica on the final day were Gillian Russell, Inez Turner, Madria Hyman, Delevante Brown and Raymond Nelson.

Sweet revenge

Russell, who was defeated by Debbie Ann Paris at Champs last month, avenged her defeat in the process making a successful defence of her title in the Under-20 hurdles event. Showing good hurdling technique, Russell won impressively in 13.8 seconds with Parris taking the silver in 14.1 seconds with Martinque’s Betty Lisle taking the bronze in 14.4 seconds.

It was also one-two for Jamaica in the girls' 3,000m event as Madria Hyman (10:08.75) won ahead of her teammate Barbara Stewart (10:21.53).

Inez Turner, who on Friday lost her 400m Under-20 title to her teammate Catherine Scott, successfully defended her 800m title as she won the event in 20:10.58 seconds, beating her sister, Janice, into second spot.

It was sweet revenge for Delevante Brown in the boys' 110 metres hurdles event as he avenged his Boys' Champ’s defeat taking advantage of Norman Morse’s poor hurdling to win the event in 14:36 seconds ahead of Sean Dopigney of Barbados in 14.58 seconds.

Although top sprinter Donovan Powell was unable to compete in the 100m because of injury, Jamaica was still able to take the first two positions here as Raymond Nelson (10.59) won the event ahead of Carlos Samuels (10.76).

In the relays, Jamaica failed to make a clean sweep as they were defeated in the boys' mile relay by Barbados. Although not using their best teams in both relays due to injuries to some of their top athletes, Jamaica was still able to win the sprint relays convincingly.

In the absence of Revoli Campbell and Maxine Dawkins, Jamaica’s sprint quartet of Nicole Mitchell, Catherine Scott, Gillian Russell and Merlene Frazer romped the event in 45.39 seconds with Bahamas second in 46.13 and Guadeloupe third in 46.79 seconds.

Amazing

The performance of the boys' team was amazing. With top athletes, Donovan Powell and Daniel England absent the quartet of Norman Morse, Raymond Nelson, Leon Gordon and Michael Cowans was clocked in an impressive 40.66 seconds. Finishing second was Bahamas (41.33) and third Barbados 41.40.

The quartet of Ellen Grant, Winsome Cole, Catherine Scott and Inez Turner won unchallenged in the girls' mile relay, winning in 3:38.28 seconds ahead of Bahamas 3:52.12 seconds and Barbados 3:55.36 seconds.

The final event of the night, the boys' 4×400m relay had the crowd on its feet for the entire race as Jamaica and Barbados had a battle royal. At the end however, it was the Barbados team which came out on top as the quartet of Wade Payne, Steven Roberts, Terry Harewood and Ronald Thame had their supporters in a vociferous mood as they defeated the Jamaica team to win in 3:09.22 seconds. Jamaica was second in 3:10.05 seconds with Barbados in third in 3:14.17 seconds. After this victory the Barbados team was in a joyous mood. They ran a victory lap before celebrating for another 30 minutes.

Some unruly elements inside the grandstand almost spoilt the evening for Jamaica as after the Barbados team started their victory lap they were booed.

This type of behaviour was uncalled for. The Barbadian team deserved their victory and people like those who booed the Jamaican team could have easily stayed at their home because Jamaica does not need their support.

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