Jamaica clinches 38th straight victory at Carifta Games

Jamaica emerged as the dominant force at the 51st Carifta Games, finishing with a total of 84 medals, including 45 gold, 23 silver, and 16 bronze. This performance exceeded their previous year’s medal count of 78 and marked their 38th consecutive title at the regional meet. The last time Jamaica faced defeat at Carifta Games was in 1984 when the Bahamas emerged as champions.

The Bahamas finished in second place with a total of 35 medals, followed by Trinidad and Tobago with 27 medals. Guyana and Guadeloupe rounded out the top five in the medal standings. Jamaica showcased their dominance on the final day of the competition, sweeping the sprint hurdles and 4x400m relays to secure commanding victories.

Despite some outstanding performances from Jamaican athletes such as Habiba Harris and Shaquane Gordon who set Games Records in the sprint hurdles, their times were considered wind-aided and not legal due to the wind speed exceeding the allowable limit. In the Boys’ 110m hurdles, Gordon won with a wind-aided time of 13.15, while Harris took the Girls’ Under-20 100m hurdles in 12.93.

On the final day, Jamaica showcased their strength in the 4x400m relays, winning all four races convincingly. However, controversy arose in the Boys’ Under-20 relay when teams from Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Bahamas stopped shortly after the race began. Jamaica ultimately secured the victory, but the other teams were allowed to rerun the race due to claims of hearing a second shot from the starter’s gun.

Javontae Smith of Jamaica sealed a gold medal double with impressive performances in both the shot put and discus events. Smith set a Games record in the shot put and followed it up with a gold medal in the discus event, leading a one-two finish for Jamaica. Overall, Jamaica’s dominance at the 51st Carifta Games reaffirmed their status as a powerhouse in regional track and field competitions.