media_artricles :: 2013

James, London retain Carifta crowns

Chelsea James and Mark London defended their titles in style at the 42nd Carifta Games in Nassau, Bahamas yesterday at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium. James retained the girls Under-17 shot put crown with a last round record effort of 14.48 metres in the morning session of the first day.

“It feels really good to come back and be the winner and the record holder. I am also excited at winning this country's first title,” said the 15-year-old Carnbee resident. The Tobago Falcons thrower took the lead in the second round after opening with a foul and extending it to 13.95m. Jamaican Janell Fullerton threaten the Signal Hill Secondary student, with her best of 13.75 but James unleashed her best in her sixth and final attempt.

Akidah Briggs narrowly missed out on the bronze with a throw of 12.58m as Bahamian Brashae Wood finished ahead of her (12.60). London made it two gold medals for T&T when he secured the boys U-20 1,500m in 4:01.07 seconds, improving on the bronze he won last year. “It feels really good to be the gold medallist. It was a strategic race. I knew before the race the times were close so I went out there, remain focus and gave it all on the last lap,” said the Bishop High runner, who sat in the pack most of the race and made his move at the bell, moving to second before pulling away at the 200m mark.

The Zenith athlete added that he is going for the double win in the 800m finals tomorrow. “This is my last year. I went out there and gave it all. It is the icing on the cake for me. I am not pleased for the time. I am going for the double,” London. Akeem Marshall, T&T’s other long-distance runner, placed seventh in 4:12.65.

Ian West, Ayanna Glasgow and Atiba Samuel missed medals. West placed fourth in the boys U-17 javelin finals with a personal best effort of 55.40m. Grenadian Anderson Peters retained his crown with record throw of 64.01m, improving his previous record of 60.50, set last year. Glasgow was sixth in the girls U-17 High jump with a leap of 1.60. The local jumper was unlucky as she had the same mark as third place finisher Shian Salmon (Jamaica) and was well-below her season's best of 1.65, the distance of silver medallist Sakari Famous of Bermuda. Jamaica's Britny Kerr took the gold with a height of 1.68m. Khemani Roberts (Signal Hill Sec/Zenith) was eighth (1.55m) and was way off her personal best of 1.70m.

Glasgow was scheduled to compete in the girls open pentathlon but withdrew to focus on the high jump. Micah McNish 47.11 and Kenejah Williams 46.90 were seventh and eighth in the boys U-20 discus finals. Kevin Roberts was lying in fifth after two events of the boys open Heptathlon. Roberts was fifth in the 110m hurdles (15.99) and long jump (6.42). Late yesterday, he contested the javelin and 200m, respectively.

Machel Cedenio was scheduled to contest the boys U20 400m finals last night after advancing from the heats with the third fastest time of 47.86 in winning heat one. Bahamian runner Stephen Newbold blazed to the quickest time of 45.94 in taking heat two ahead of Jamaican Jovan Francis (46.80). Dominique Williams qualified for the medal race of the girls U-20 400m final, finishing fifth quickest in the preliminaries (54.69) as favourite Shauna Miller (Bahamas) led the qualifiers (52.61). The finals were run off last night.

John-Mark Constantine was third best in the 100m heats (10.61) in taking heat two. Tahir Walsh (Antigua and Barbuda) 10.57 and Levi Cadogan (Barbados) 10.59 were ahead of Constantine, respectively. Ayodelle Taffe was eliminated after finishing 11th overall (10.82).

Lisa Wickham (11.74) and Aaliyah Telesford (12.02) was to contest the girls U-20 100m final last night after finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, in the preliminaries while Kadeem Campbell clocked the fourth best time (10.96) in the boys U-17 100m preliminaries after placing first in the heat two.

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