Jamaica rack up 67 medals to top NACAC Championships

Jamaica topped the medals table at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Under-18, Under-20 and Under-23 Championships that ended Sunday at the National Stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The Jamaicans won an additional 18 medals on Sunday — 10 gold, three silver and five bronze for a total of 67 medals — 39 gold, 18 silver and 10 bronze.

Hosts Costa Rica were next with 62 medals — 19 gold, 20 silver and 23 bronze; followed by The Bahamas with 42 — 17 gold, 18 silver and seven bronze; Guatemala had 16 medals — five gold, eight silver and three bronze and Barbados rounded out the top five with a total of seven medals — five gold, a silver and a bronze.

Alana Reid’s Championship record 23.78 seconds (-0.1m/s) to win the girls’ Under-18

200m was the highlight for the Jamaicans on the final day with 15-year-old Lavanya Williams placing fourth in 24.71 seconds.

Alicke Cranston completed the Under-18 boys’ sprint double when he won the 200m in a wind-aided 20.74 seconds (3.2m/s) as his St Elizabeth Technical High School teammate Orlando Wint was second with 21.10 seconds.

Jevaughn Powell won the silver medal in the men’s Under-23 with 20.83 seconds (-1.7m/s), with Antonio Watson third in 21.02 seconds.

Alliyah Francis was third in the girls’ Under-20 in 24.32 seconds (0.4m/s) and Sandrey Alex Davidson also got the bronze medal in the boys’ Under-20 in a personal best 21.34 seconds (-2.3m/s).

Jamaica won both men’s long jump events that were postponed from Saturday due to heavy rains. Shakwon Coke won the Under-23 event with 7.88m (-2.6/s) his best of two legal jumps as he also recorded a jump of 7.82m (0.2m/s).

Kavian Kerr won the Under-20 boys’ gold medal with a personal best 7.80m (-1.2m/s).

Romaine Beckford won the Under-20 boys’ high jump clearing 2.10m while Raymond Richard took the men’s Under-23 bronze with 1.95m.

Britannia Johnson won her second gold medal after she won the Under-18 girls’ shot put with 14.33m, coming on her first attempt, after winning the discus throw earlier. Her twin sister Britannie took silver with 13.94m.

Zachry Campbell, who had won the Under-18 boys’ discus on Friday, added the shot put gold with a mark of 16.27m.

Rickeisha Simms also won double gold, winning the Under-18 girls’ 1500m Sunday with 5:03.01 minutes after winning the 800m earlier, while Tyrese Reid took the bronze in the Under-23 men with a time of 4:01.40 minutes.

Jamaica won both mixed 4x400m relays as the Under-18 team of Kishay Rowe, Roshawn Clarke, Oneika Brissett and Delano Kennedy clocked 3:25.27 minutes, while the Under-23 team of Shiann Salmon, Christopher Taylor, Odaine Mcpherson and Charokee Young clocked 3:20.71 minutes.