Jamaica sweep 100m finals at CARIFTA Games, but boys U-18 to be rerun

Minzie (centre) of Bog Walk High places second to Hughes of Kingston College (left) at the recent High Schools’ Championships held at the National Stadium in Kingston. Minzie clocked 10.16 seconds to Hughes’ 10.12.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica swept the 100 metres finals at the 43rd CARIFTA Games Saturday evening as the regional championship underway in Martinique ends its first day.

However, the boys’ Under-18 100m final won by Waseem Williams will be rerun tomorrow morning before the official start of the second day, OBSERVER ONLINE has been reliably informed.

Reports are that the athletes complained that they heard two guns at the start and officials later confirmed there were problems with the starting apparatus.

Williams clocked a wind-aided 10.36 second (2.3m/s) ahead of Barbados’ Mario Burke (10.40 seconds) with another Jamaican Raheem Chambers third in 10.44 seconds.

Jamaica’s team captain Jevaughn Minzie won the Under-20 boys race in 10.18 seconds (1.7m/s) in the absence of arch rival and defending champion Zharnel Hughes of Anguilla.

Jonielle Smith won the Under 20 girls’ gold medal in 11.17 seconds (5.1m/s) with Kedisha Dallas third in 11.44 seconds after Kimone Shaw had open the speed show winning the girls Under 18 in 11.42 seconds (3.3m/s).

The highly anticipated rematch between Hughes and Minzie never materialised as Hughes pulled out of the competition with a hamstring injury.

Hughes had defeated Minzie at the Jamaica High Schools’ Championships held recently at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Meanwhile Jamaica’s Vashon McCarthy set a new meet record 54.41m to win the Under 18 boys discus while his team mate Warren Barrett was second with 53.67m.

Jamaica lead the medal tables with 23 after the first day — 12 gold medals, six silver and five bronze.

source: jamaica observer