NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Guyanese Tiana Springer snatched fairytale gold in the 400 meters. At the same time, Cayman Islands’ Davonte Howell stormed to a sensational win in the marquee 100 meters to cap a dramatic opening day of the 50th CARIFTA Games here Saturday.
The 16-year-old Springer was part of the Guyana contingent, which arrived late for the Games due to travel issues and missed the girl’s Under-17 qualifiers in the morning session at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium.
Allowed into the final after meeting the required time in a subsequent run-off, Springer overcame another team’s protest, forcing organizers to push back the championship race, before holding her nerve to produce a stunning late comeback to capture gold in a time of 54.32 seconds.
Running out of lane seven in the second of two timed finals, Springer appeared out of contention down the backstretch with De’cheynelle Thomas of St Kitts and Nevis leading from Elise Dickinson of Bermuda and Jody-Ann Daley stalking.
Daley led off the final turn with Thomas in pursuit before Springer unleashed a turn of speed inside the last 50 meters to overhaul the leaders.
Daley ended with silver in 54.81, while Thomas clinched bronze in 55.46, powerless to stop Springer from completing a quintessential triumph over adversity.
Howell, meanwhile, took advantage of the drama that ensued in the boy’s Under-20 semi-finals when reigning champion and heavy favorite, Deandre Daley of Jamaica, false-started in the second semi-final.
With another Jamaican favorite, Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, having pulled out injured in the opening heats, it meant Howell had a clear path to gold. He seized the opportunity, streaking to the finish in a time of 10,30 seconds.
Bahamian Carlos Brown, in lane three, looked to be in pole position for the win after 70 meters before Howell surged through from lane four in a stunning closing run to be just outside his personal best.
Brown (10.38) and teammate Adam Musgrove (10.44) clocked personal bests to complete the podium positions.
“I said from the first interview I was coming here to upset [the field], I was coming here to win – me and Jaiden Reid, we had to put Cayman on the map,” said an elated Howell.
“It means big things because we’re a small country but have great talent.”
His teammate Reid finished sixth.
Alana Reid sped to gold in the corresponding girls’ final to give Jamaica their second of two gold in the night’s sprints.
She was timed at 11.17, leading home teammate Alexis James who clocked 11.53 for silver, and Sanaa Frederick of Trinidad and Tobago taking silver with 11.65.
“To be honest, it’s something I’ve been working towards. It was just for me to come out here and do my best. I did just that, and I’m honestly pleased with the outcome,” said Reid.
Teammate Tramaine Todd never blinked in the boys Under-17 final, brushing aside the field to win in 10.52, Bahamian Ishmael Rolle (10.62) and Grenadian Ethan Sam (10.71) completing the podium positions.
And Jamiah Nabbie ensured the home crowd had cause for celebration when she conjured up a late run to nick the girl’s Under-17 final in a time of 11.67.
St Lucian Naomi London burst from the blocks in lane four to lead most of the contest before Nabbie hit back from lane five to catch her rival inside the last 20 meters.
London clocked 11.72 for silver, while Trinidadian Alexxe Henry clinched the bronze with 11.81.
In the 400 meters, Nickecoy Bramwell dominated the last 150 meters to capture the boys Under-17 final in 47.86, ahead of St Kitts and Nevis’ Jaylen Bennett (48.59) and the Bahamas’ Andrew Brown (48.68).
Rickiann Russell out-gunned Bahamian Javonya Valcourt to win the girl’s Under-20 final in 51.84, and Valcourt timed at 52.12. At the same time, Jasauna Dennis (46.43) upset his teammate and reigning champion Delano Kennedy (46.50) in the boy’s equivalent in a Jamaican one-two.
Earlier, Barbados shone by winning two of the four 1500m finals, Ashlyn Simmons clocking four minutes, 51.65 seconds to take the girl’s Under-17 event, and Layla Haynes posting 4:53.29 in capturing the girls Under-20 race.
Jamaica’s only gold came in the boy’s Under-20 final when Ainsley Campbell won in 4:05.54. The traditional powerhouses swept nearly all the field events in the evening session.
Kobe Lawrence (60.27m) won the boy’s Under-20 discus, Jade-Ann Watkins took the girl’s Under-20 triple jump with a leap of 13.05m, Brandon Pottinger led a one-two in the boy’s Under-20 high jump with a mark of two meters. Similarly, Abigail Martin (53.30m) extended Jamaica’s success by leading a one-two in the girl’s Under-20 discus.
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