CLARKE REPEATS
Gold too for Hislop
By Kwame Laurence kwame.laurence@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Apr 6, 2015 at 9:22 PM ECTKayelle Clarke successfully defends her 200m titleKayelle Clarke repeated as Carifta Games Girls Under-20 200 metres champion, the Trinidad and Tobago athlete grabbing the gold medal with an impressive but wind-assisted 23.12 seconds run at the Kim Collins Athletic Stadium, here in Basseterre, St Kitts, yesterday.
Jamaica’s Saqukine Cameron got silver in 23.32, while bronze went to Bahamian Keianna Albury in 23.49.
After the race, an ecstatic Clarke told the Express that losing to the Jamaican in the qualifying round was not a cause for concern, ahead of the championship race.
“I knew I had enough in me to win. In the heat I just ran to put myself in position to qualify for the final.”
Akanni Hislop also struck gold, the T&T sprinter winning the Boys Under-18 200m in 20.91 seconds. Jamaican Javan Martin clocked 21.16 to snap up silver, just ahead of Bahamian Xavior Angus (21.17).
Khemani Roberts was the lone T&T medallist in yesterday’s morning session. She cleared the bar at 1.73 metres to seize silver. Jamaicans Safia Morgan (1.76m) and Shanae McKenzie (1.73m) earned gold and bronze, respectively.
On Saturday and Sunday, Roberts competed in the girls’ open heptathlon, finishing fifth with 4,281 points. She was the best high jumper on show in the seven-discipline event, going over the bar at 1.75m.
After yesterday’s high jump, Roberts told the Express gold was a distinct possibility.
“Yes, that gold could have been mine…if I had taken out the heptathlon.”
Jeminise Parris bagged bronze for T&T in yesterday’s Girls Under-20 100m hurdles. She clocked a wind-aided 13.85 seconds to trail Jamaicans Yanique Thompson (13.21) and Jeanine Williams (13.40).
Clement Campbell earned bronze in the Boys Under-18 long jump, the T&T athlete disturbing the sand at 6.86m. Again, Jamaica finished one-two. Pakito Dudley took the gold with a wind-assisted 7.03m jump, edging Shammawi Wellington (windy 7.02m) into the silver slot.
Kenejah Williams finished just outside the medals in the Boys Under-20 shot put. The T&T field athlete threw 16.10m to finish fourth. His teammate, Shaquille Singuineau produced a 15.59m effort to secure sixth spot.
Iley Bruce finished fourth in the Boys Under-20 5,000m in 16 minutes, 17.68 seconds. In the Girls Under-20 discus, Chelsea James (40.75m) and Shaiann Charles (39.16m) were fourth and sixth, respectively.
Aaron Lewis was fourth in the boys’ under-20 110m hurdles in a windy 13.66. And in the Boys Under-18 110m hurdles, Ako Hislop finished fifth in a hand-timed 13.6 seconds.
Kershel McIntyre was fifth in the Girls Under-18 800m in two minutes, 23.28 seconds. In the Boys Under-18 800m, Terry Frederick and Myles Jackson were fifth and eighth, respectively, clocking 1:59.00 and 2:04.63.
Ayana Glasgow was fifth in the Girls Under-20 javelin with a 39.76m throw. And Ashton Gill clocked 1:57.08 to finish sixth in the boys’ under-20 800m.
Andwuelle Wright’s wind-aided 7.44m leap, late on Sunday, secured gold for T&T.
Williams’ T&T standard is 8.14m.
T&T earned three medals in the 4x100m events, which were also staged late on Sunday.
The Girls Under-18 quartet claimed silver in 47.10 seconds. The Under-18 boys also picked up silver, getting home in 41.43. And the Boys Under-20 combination clocked 40.55 seconds to secure bronze. The Under-20 girls were disqualified for a baton exchange outside the zone. And late yesterday, T&T earned three 4x400m medals.
The Boys U18 combination of Kobe John, Terry Frederick, Judah Taylor and Jacob St Clair picked up silver in 3:14.23, while the Boys and Girls U20 teams earned bronze.
T&T finished the Games with 22 medals—six gold, eight silver and eight bronze.