Caesar, Bright strike gold

first medal of the meet with a bronze in the 1500m final.

Avon Samuels (55.45s) did one better when she ran across the line in second place behind Brazil’s Tiffani Marinho (54.25s) in the women’s 400m final. Her countryman, Daniel Williams (48.24s) also was on the second podium step in the quarter-mile event behind Suriname’s Miguel Shepper (47.90s)

Claudrice McKoy also added to Guyana’s medal tally in the gripping 1500m race which brought the crowd to its feet. McKoy (4m: 39.96s) used every joule of energy in her diminutive frame to finish third behind Brazil’s Pietra Da Silva (4m: 31.82s) and Colombia’s Jarly Marin Zipa (4m: 33.83s). McKoy was lauded for her efforts after being as much as 60m off the lead and in fifth place during the final lap. After Day 1, Brazil has a total of 19 medals, 10 gold, eight silver and a bronze. Guyana has 16 medals in total.

Other results of the day included:

(Men’s Hammer) 1st Alencar Perreira (Brazil), 2nd Roberto Montile (Chile),

(Women’s Shot Put) 1st Ailen Armanda (Argentina), 2nd Ana Da Silva (Brazil), Jelyza Pengel (Suriname)

(Women’s 10k Race Walk) 1st Maria Montoya (Colombia), 2nd Evelyn Inga (Peru), Brenda Fernandes (Peru)

(Women’s 3000m)

1st Micaela Levaggi (Argentina), 2nd Sheyla Eulogio (Peru), 3rd Lisa Meneses (Peru)

(Men’s 110m Hurdles) 1st Maribel Caicedo, 2nd Victoria Alves (Brazil), 3rd Maria Sanchez (Argentina)

The second and final day starts at this morning at 06:30hrs with the 10k walk race (men), will be highlighted by the relay events and the 200m races. (Emmerson Campbell)