Jamaicans Dominate CARIFTA Games

By: - April 2nd, 2013

Above: the Thomas A Robinson stadium (file photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

For a few short days this weekend, Nassau looked a lot like London.

Jamaica’s young athletes dominated the CARIFTA games at the Thomas A Robinson national stadium in New Providence, taking home 29 golds and 69 medals overall.

That was more than half the total of the Bahamas, which finished with 31 medals overall, followed by Trinidad and Tobago with 20. Both the Bahamas and Trinidad finished with eight gold medals.

The regional games, which were first held in 1972, involve track and field events in two age categories: under 20 and under 17.

It was a mirror image of Jamaica’s success at last summer’s 2012 Olympic Games, when it finished with four golds and 12 medals overall, the most of any CARICOM nation. (Cuba was the only Caribbean country with more medals).

The games were not without controversy, however, as the Jamaican U-20 team was initially disqualified during the 4 x 400 relay after allegations that one of the sprinters stepped outside the line.

But the team eventually received its gold medal for finishing in just 3:05:68.

The French department of Guadeloupe made a strong showing, finishing with three gold medals and a fifth-place overall finish.

See below for the full medal table:

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