Above: Kirani James

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Grenada’s Kirani James suffered a bit of a setback this weekend with a disqualification at Oregon’s Prefontaine Classic, but the 19-year-old sprinter took it in stride.

James, who finished third under protest, jumped the starter’s gun at the 38th Prefontaine Classic.

“It was entirely my fault,” James said after the race. “It was nothing I was confused about; I just wanted to go out there and compete”

James, who is leading Grenada’s medal hopes in London this summer, called it a “learning experience in terms of just being patent in waiting for the gun.”

Grenadian Labour Minister Glynis Roberts said James showed he was still in “good shape and ontarget to compete with the top athletes at the Olympics.”

“I know Grenadians everywhere are rooting for him, [fellow sprinter] Rondell [Bartholomew] and the rest of the Grenada team that will be going to London,” she said.

Bartholomew will open his 2012 season by competing in the 400 metres at the Adidas Grand Prix in New York.

For more information, check out Caribbean Journal’s interviews with James and Bartholomew from this year.