Jamaica's Dexter Lee (second left) streaks to victory in the 100m final at the World Youth Championships in Ostrava yesterday. - PHOTO BY Anthony Foster

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic

(CMC):

JAMAICA'S DEXTER Lee (10.51) and Nickel Ashmeade (10.54) struck gold and silver in the boys 100 metres at the World Youth Championship yesterday.

The one-two performance from the young Jamaicans relegated American Kenneth Gilstrap to third in 10.65 on the second day of the event.

"I am very happy with the victory, but not with the time. I got a bad start and I somehow that threw me off, it affected me," Lee said.

History for Barbadian

Meanwhile,in the girls 400m, Jamaican Latoya McDermott will be the only Caribbean runner in the final after finishing second in the first semi-final with 54.35 seconds.

Tarik Batchelor also garnered some success yesterday as he reached the boys long jump final with a best of 7.43 metres.

Shana Gaye Tracey, also of Jamaica, secured a berth in the 400m hurdles final after finishing second in her heat in 59.38 seconds.

There was also more gold for the Caribbean yesterday when Shane Brathwaite created history for Barbados when he won the Octathlon in a thrilling finish. It was Barbados' first-ever gold medal in an international track and field competition.

Brathwaite clocked 2:48.01 minutes in the 1,000 metres to finish fourth and claim the valuable points which earned him the precious gold medal for his country.

"He called me last night from Ostrava and he was confident of winning a gold, but to hear he has won gold has me really happy," Brathwaite's mother, Karen Gaskin, told CMC Sports in Barbados.

Top honours

With none of the top three positions determined in the eight-event challenge before the 1,000m, Brathwaite ensured top honours by beating out Jaroslav Hedvicek of the Czech Republic and Australian Adam Bevis.

Brathwaite trailed Spain's Eusebio Caseres by a mere 22 points before the 1,000m but consistent performances in his four events yesterday earned him enough points to finish with of 6,261, a World Youth leading performance in this year.

He posted a best of 1.89m in the high jump, 14.45 seconds in the sprint hurdles and 52.72m in the javelin.