As expected, there have been a significant amount of qualifiers for the 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games over the first two days of the ICS Security Concepts Bahamas National High School Track and Field Championships/CARIFTA Trials, adding to the 40 who had previously qualified.
The three-day meet wraps up this evening at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium – the same venue for the actual CARIFTA Games in less than two weeks’ time. This is the first time that the high school nationals and the CARIFTA Trials are being combined, and the event is serving as a test event for the CARIFTA Games.
In the overall school competition, the St. Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine are in the lead going into the final day of competition today with 354 points. The Queen’s College Comets are second with 298 points and the St. John’s College Giants round out the top three schools with 123 points. The top government school is the C.R. Walker Knights who are fourth overall with 103 points. The Sunland Baptist Stingers lead the Family Island schools, and are fifth overall, with 94 points. C.H. Reeves is the top junior school with 47 points.
Up until Saturday, there was just one qualifier for one of the marquee events in sprints at the junior level, the under-20 boys 100 meters (m). After the final of that event on Saturday, there are now four. The top three on Saturday qualified and one previously qualified.
Carlos Brown, of C.R. Walker, led the way, winning the gold medal in a season’s best time of 10.49 seconds. Running unattached, Adam Musgrove finished second in a personal best time of 10.55 seconds and Zion Campbell, also unattached, rounded out the top three with a personal best of 10.60 seconds. Jeremiah Adderley, of Nassau Christian Schools (NCS), finished fourth in 10.61 seconds and SAC’s Jonathon Fowler finished fifth in 10.74 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 10.60 seconds. Fowler had previously qualified, running 10.60 seconds at the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) Track and Field Championships.
Brown and Musgrove both dipped under 10.60 seconds this season but the times were wind-aided.
“I feel really good about finally qualifying, especially coming off an injury,” said Brown on Saturday. “I didn’t get as good of a start that I wanted to, but I just wanted to get my knees up and keep my composure and finish strong. I feel like I was able to do that. I just want to thank the Lord for coming out of it injury-free and now it’s on to the CARIFTA Games. I’m looking forward to performing well and representing my country well at CARIFTA.”
In the under-20 girls version of that race, Shatalya Dorsett, the silver medalist from last year’s CARIFTA Games in Kingston, Jamaica, qualified again in her specialty, running a a season’s best time of 11.81 seconds for the gold medal – a tenth of a second off her personal best time.
The Sunland Baptist athlete said she was pleased with the result, but knows there are aspects of her race she could fix going forward.
“It feels good to qualify again. That was the main thing,” she said. “I just hope that I go out there at CARIFTA and do what I need to do to win a medal for my country. I was kind of nervous today and my start was a li’l off, but I pulled through with a season’s best time and I’m glad with that.”
Giving Dorsett a push and also qualifying for CARIFTA, for the first time, was SAC’s Amari Pratt. Pratt, who had previously qualified in the 200m, ran a personal best of 11.86 seconds for second on Saturday night. Finishing third was Nia Richards, of Queen’s College, in 12.19 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 11.90 seconds.
In the under-17 boys 100m, Ishmael Rolle, of St. John’s, qualified for CARIFTA again, winning the gold medal in 10.93 seconds. Andrew Brown, of SAC, who has previously qualified for CARIFTA, was second in 11 seconds flat, and Trent Ford, of SAC, rounded out the top three in 11.01 seconds.
Rolle suffered a slight hamstring strain at the BAISS Championships about three weeks ago, but said he feels close to full strength.
“I still feel the hamstring a bit but I try not to think about it. I’m just focused on running my race,” said Rolle. “I feel good about qualifying again, but I know I could do better. I’m just glad to get it out of the way and now I’ll looking forward to CARIFTA.”
The qualifying time for CARIFTA in the under-17 boys 100m was 10.96 seconds.
Jamiah Nabbie, of Queen’s College, won the under-17 girls 100m in 11.89 seconds, qualifying for CARIFTA for a second time in that event. Shayann Demeritte, of SAC, was second in 12.20 seconds, also qualifying for CARIFTA for a second time, and Shekinah Johnson, running unattached, finished third in 12.47 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA in the under-17 girls 100m was 12.20 seconds.
Nabbie also qualified again in the under-17 girls long jump, leaping 5.59m (18’ 4-1/4”). Phebe Thompson, of Bishop Michael Eldon High, and Jamiah Hepburn, of Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High, finished tied for second, both jumping 5.23m (17’ 2”). The qualifying mark for CARIFTA was 5.46m (17’ 11”).
Over in the 400m finals, there were a couple of qualifiers in the under-17 girls division, and shockingly one of them had just turned 13 years old and is ineligible to compete at CARIFTA. Reference is to Keyezra Thomas, of Bishop Michael Eldon High School, who ran a torrid 56.28 seconds for the gold medal in that event in the under-14 girls division. She finished more than eight seconds faster than second-place finisher, Trinity Rolle, of Sunland Baptist, who clocked 1:04.54. Cierra Delancy, of Queen’s College, ran 1:05.95 for third. Thomas also won the under-14 girls long jump, leaping 4.86m (15’ 11-1/2”). SAC’s Jayla Smith finished second with a leap of 4.42m (14’ 6”), and Inaya Nesbitt, of Sister Mary Patricia Russell, finished third with a leap of 4.21m (13’ 9-3/4”). Thomas also qualified for the under-14 girls 200m final with the fastest time, running 25.30 seconds. That final will be ran today.
SAC’s Darvinique Dean is eligible and won the under-17 girls race in 56.58 seconds. Her school and club teammate at Red-Line Athletics Bayli Major finished second in 57.36 seconds and Ta’mia Taylor, of St. John’s, broke up a SAC sweep, running 57.70 seconds for third. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 56.64 seconds.
“I feel great,” said Dean who has qualified for CARIFTA in three events and is the only Bahamian athlete to do so. She previously qualified in the 100m and 400m hurdles. “I’m glad that I was able to run my race the way I wanted to. I’m happy to represent my school and come out with the win. I’m proud of myself. I’m excited. This will be my first CARIFTA, and to come out here and qualify in three events is a good feeling. There’s two weeks to go, so I just have to put in the final touches and come here ready for CARIFTA.”
Terrell McCoy, of Windsor School, had a toss of 12.37m (40’ 7”) to win the under-17 girls shot put event. Danielle Nixon, of Queen’s College, finished second with a toss of 12.25m (40’ 2-1/4”), and Saana Roberts, of Bishop Michael Eldon High, rounded out the top three finishers with a throw of 11.39m (37’ 4-1/2”). McCoy previously qualified for CARIFTA, surpassing the qualifying distance of 12.56m (41’ 2-1/2”) with a massive throw of 13.53m (44’ 4-3/4”) at the BAISS Track and Field Championships.
Qualifying for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls 1500m on Saturday was Akaya Lightbourne, of Sunland Baptist. She ran 5:02.93 for the gold medal. Finishing a distant second was Jasmine Mackey, who ran unattached. Mackey ran 5:18.15. Coming in third was Alfrenique Knowles, of St. George’s High, who ran 5:20.39. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 5:03.24 seconds.
Lightbourne came back and won the open women’s 3000m on Sunday, but didn’t qualify for CARIFTA in that event. She won in 11:18.52. Raynia Russell, of C.R. Walker, finished second in 11:21.27, and Grace Farrington, of St. Andrew’s, rounded out the top three in 12:44.22. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 11:15.63.
“I feel like the 1,500 could have been better. In the 3,000, I tried my best and tried to pace myself. Not qualifying last year motivated me to qualify this year and it feels good to do it. I just hope that I’m ready. I prey to God that I do my best and we’ll just see what happens,” said Lightbourne.
Over in the under-17 girls high jump, a couple of athletes qualified for a second time each. Tyler Pratt, of Huntley P. Christie High out of North Andros, won the gold medal, soaring a personal best of 1.64m (5’ 4-1/2”). Alexandria Grace Komolafe, competing unattached, finished second, matching the CARIFTA qualifying mark for a second time this season, leaping 1.57m (5’ 1-3/4”). Kennedy Hanna, of St. Anne’s, finished third with a clearance of 1.51m (4’ 11-1/2”).
Also qualifying for CARIFTA for a second time was University of Miami bound Calea Jackson in the under-20 girls discus. She turned in a massive personal best heave of 48.21m (158’ 2”) for the gold medal, surpassing her previous personal best by almost three meters. Cailyn Johnson, also competing unattached, finished second with a best throw of 40.57m (133’ 1”), and coming in third was Annae Mackey, of Queen’s College, who has qualified for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls shot put. In the discus, Mackey could only muster a throw of 32.22m (105’ 8”) for the bronze. The qualifying mark for CARIFTA was 41.23m (135’ 3”).
There were a couple qualifiers for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls triple jump event. Lanaisha Lubin, of Queen’s College, won the gold medal with a leap of 12.51m (41’ 0-1/2”). Apryl Adderley, of SAC, who had previously qualified for CARIFTA in the under-20 girls long jump, added the triple jump qualification to her accomplishments on Saturday. She leapt 11.89m (39’ 0-1/4”) to finish second, just going over the qualifying distance of 11.88m (38’ 11-3/4”). Adonya Taylor, of Queen’s College, finished third with a leap of 11.49m (37’ 8-1/2”).
On Sunday, three young women went under the qualifying standard in the women’s 400m hurdles, but they had also previously qualified. It was a 1-2 finish for SAC as Dean won in 1:01.84 and Major was second in 1:02.13. Just like in the 400m, Taylor broke up a SAC sweep as she finished third for St. John’s, running 1:06.69 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 1:09.86.
After qualifying in the under-17 boys 110m hurdles earlier in the season, SAC’s Quinton Rolle added the 400m hurdles qualification to his list of accomplishments, finishing first in 56.23 seconds. St. John’s Zion Davis finished second in 56.90 seconds and Christian Pierre, of C.R. Walker, was third in 59.67 seconds. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 56.31 seconds.
Running unattached, Shimar Bain qualified in the under-20 boys 400m hurdles, winning that event in 53.25 seconds. SAC’s Clinton Laguerre, who qualified earlier in the season, qualified again as he ran 54.19 seconds for second. Berkley Munnings, of St. Anne’s, was third in 55.36. The qualifying time for CARIFTA was 54.43 seconds.
There was a qualifier for CARIFTA in the open women’s heptathlon as Essence Sands, of Doris Johnson Sr. High School, scored 4,011 points to win that title. Kaily Pratt, of Sunland Baptist, finished second with 3,838 points, and LaShae Smith, competing unattached, rounded out the top three with 3,790 points. The qualifying standard for CARIFTA was 3,924 points.
There was another qualifier in the open men’s octathlon as Lavardo Deveaux scored 4,989 points while competing unattached. Reanno Todd, of C.R. Walker, was second with 4,683 points, and Brandon Hutchinson, competing unattached, rounded out the top three with 4,485 points. The qualifying standard for CARIFTA was 4,869 points.
Also on Sunday, there were a couple of qualifiers in the under-20 boys long jump – both had previously qualified. Johnathon Rodgers, of C.I. Gibson, won that event with a leap of 7.32m (24’ 0-1/4”). Robert Stuart, of St. George’s, was second with a leap of 7.14m (23’ 5-1/4”), and Stephan Farquharson, competing unattached, rounded out the top three with a leap of 7.11m (23’ 4”). The qualifying mark for CARIFTA was 7.14m.
More results can be found on the website tekresults.net.
The 50th Oaktree CARIFTA Games is just 12 days away, set for April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The ICS Security Concepts CARIFTA Trials/High School Nationals wraps up today.
Tickets for CARIFTA can be purchased online at the website www.carifta50.com or in person at the box office at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. Daily rates start at $5 and go up as high as $50 for the VIP section. There are also tickets for all three days that start from $40 for the bronze section and go up to $130 for the VIP section.
