Trinidad and Tobago’s Khalifa St Fort’s bid for double Carifta gold ended yesterday at the Grenada Athletic Stadium in Grenada.
St Fort on Saturday night sped to TT’s second gold medal, blowing away the field in the girls under 20 100m in 11.40 seconds (-2.7 wind). Jamaican Patrice Moody trailed badly in 10.68 seconds while Bahamian Brianne Bethlel came third in 11.75.
The World Championships 4x100m bronze medallist’s Carifta campaign was cut short, however, as she was unable to compete in the 200m event yesterday due to a hip problem. Her coach and sprint legend Ato Boldon tweeted, “In warm-ups this morning Khalifa’s hip pain became severe, and I’ve made the decision to pull her. Her Carifta 2016 is over.” In the boys under 18 100m final, TT’s Adel Colthurst (Debe Sec) took bronze in 10.68.
Anya Akili (Bishops High) claimed bronze too in the girls open heptathlon yesterday. Akili was third with 4471 points to finish behind the Jamaican pair of Janell Fullerton (4597) and Zinedine Russell (4524). Akili was in second at the end of day one and remained in the runner-up position until the sixth event, the long jump. She was beaten to the line by Russell in the final event (800m) yesterday evening.
The gold was the second for Fullerton as she won the girls under 20 shot put on Friday. Akili’s bronze medal was the lone podium finish for TT on the second day before the start of the boys under 20 long jump and 4x100m relays.
Jeminise Parris (St Francois Girls) was fourth in the girls under 20 400m hurdles in 1:02.29 as Jamaican Shannan Kalawan took the gold in a Carifta record of 56.29 ahead of Lakeisha Warner of the British Virgin Islands (58.14) and another Jamaican 58.34. Cheziah Phillip (Toco Secondary) was fifth in the girls under 18 400m hurdles in 1:09.10. Jamaican Shiann Salmon took the top spot in a Carifta record of 59.50 to add to her victory in the high jump on Friday.
Salmon’s compatriot Sanique Walker was second (59.60) with Bahamian Gabrielle Gibson taking third (1:01.16). In the morning session, Akanni Hislop (Bishop High) topped the boys under 20 200m heats clocking the fastest time of 21.01 to win heat four.
Tyrel Edwards (Toco Sec) was third best in the boys under 18 200m heats with a personal best of 21.72 to finish first in heat three of four. The 200m finals are set for this evening.
Akila Lewis (Bishops Anstey) and Ayla Stanislaus (Scarborough Sec) bowed out in the girls under 18 200m heats.
Lewis was 11th overall in 25.07 while Stanislaus was 12th (25.10).
In the girls under 20 200m heats Renee Stoddard (Providence Girls) finished 11th in 25.24 with only the top eight advancing to the finals.
Joanna Rogers (St. Francois Girls) and Kershel Mc Intyre (St.
James Sec) advanced to the girls under 18 800m finals.
Rogers was 6th in the heats in 2:19.52 while Mc Intyre was 7th (2:19.66). Jaden St Louis (St. Anthony’s College) will vie for gold in the boys under 18 800m finals after he finished 6th in the heats in 1:57.72 pb.
However, Recardo Prescott (St.
James Sec) did not advanced as he finished 22nd quickest in 2:17.03.
Several TT athletes were in action late yesterday: Che Richards (St. Mary’s College) boys under 20 long jump, the girls and boys under 18 4x100m and girls under 20 4x100m.
TT Carifta medals: Gold - Khalifa St Fort (Girls under 20 100m); Tyriq Horsford (Boys under 18 javelin) Silver - Ianna Roach (Girls under 18 shot put) Bronze - Onal Mitchell (Boys under 18 400m); Chelsea James (Girls under 20 shot put); Adel Colsthurst (Boys under 18 100m)