ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Jamaican sprinting sensation Shanoya Douglas and Barbados’ distance queen Ashlyn Simmons brought the curtains down on their impressive CARIFTA careers with standout performances on Monday’s final day.
The 19-year-old Douglas, the 100m champion, produced a superb record-breaking run in the Under-20 girls’ 200 meters that brought the crowd at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium to their feet.
The lanky Jamaican took control of the race from the start and was all alone by the time she hit the bend before powering home in a personal best time of 22.11 seconds to obliterate Shaunae Miller’s record of 22.77 that had stood since 2013.
It also set a new Jamaica Under-20 girls’ record and is the third-fastest time in that division’s history.
So dominant was her run that second-placed Natrece East of Jamaica was more than a second behind (23.39), while Breanne Barnett of Haiti claimed bronze in 23.49.
With that performance, Douglas installed herself as the favorite to take home the Austin Sealy Award, given to the most outstanding athlete of the CARIFTA Games.
Meanwhile, Simmons followed up her gold medal-winning performance in the Under-20 girls’ 1500m by capturing the 800m emphatically.
Simmons, 19, and teammate Danya Skeete made their move at the start of the last lap to distance themselves from the rest of the field, with Simmons crossing the finish line first in 2:09.07 and Skeete (2:10.50) grabbing silver.
Dallia Fairweather of Jamaica (2:11.15) finished third.
Not to be left out was Antigua and Barbuda’s Tyra Fenton, who dismantled the field in the Under-17 girls’ 200m to also take home her second gold medal.
Fenton, who also won the 100m, blazed home in 23.39 seconds, with Trinidad and Tobago’s Jael Peters (23.95) and Keyezra Thomas of The Bahamas (24.03), placing second and third respectively.
Jamaica’s Sanjay Seymore upset the field by winning the Under-20 boys’ 200m in 20.63, relegating Bermuda’s 100m champion Miles Outerbridge to second (20.67) and Eagan Neely of The Bahamas to third in a time of 20.73. Defending champion Jayden Greene of Barbados was fourth in 21.00 seconds.
Emmile Higgins of The Bahamas came close to the Under-17 boys’ 200m record on his way to winning gold in 20.94 seconds.
On the field, Able Mills of Jamaica won the Under-20 girls’ discus with a throw of 53.85 metres, Solal Thiery won the Open boys’ pole vault (4.15m), Jazae Johnson of The Bahamas leapt to victory in the Under-17 girls’ triple jump (12.35m), Jayden Walcott of Barbados topped the Under-20 boys’ shot put (18.41m). Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaafari Shaw won the Under-17 boys’ discus (56.30m).
Tashana Godfrey of Jamaica captured the Under-17 girls’ 100m hurdles (13.27 seconds), while her compatriot Tiana Marshall of Jamaica won the Under-20 girls’ equivalent in 13.43 seconds.
Among the boys, Mark-Daniel Allen of Jamaica reigned supreme in the Under-17 boys’ 110m hurdles in a new record time of 13.25 seconds, while Robert Miller, also of Jamaica, won the Under-20 boys’ event in 13.43 seconds.
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