Smith shines at CAC

By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter

Smith ... topped decathlon with 7,755 points at CAC championships in Guatemala. - Michael Sloley

DECATHLETE Maurice Smith was the toast of Jamaica's Central American and Caribbean Senior Championships track and field team which returned to the island yesterday after a successful sojourn in Guatemala.

Smith, a former Calabar High student, topped the decathlon with a total of 7,755 points but fell short of the World Championship qualifying quota by 300 points. He felt good nonetheless.

"I am more than overwhelmed. My goal was to qualify for the World Championship but that didn't work out. I did my best and my focus right now is to get back to school in August and regarding track and field, concentrate on the 2004 Olympics," the Central Arizona College student said.

A large contingent of athletes and officials arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport to little fanfare. Among them were double medallists Mario Watts and Elva Goulbourne.

Watts got two gold medals. He won the 400 metres hurdles and was part of the victorious men's 4x400 team.

Goulbourne did a record 6.77 metres in the long jump and was a member of the women's golden 4x100m unit.

Other double gold medallists were Danny McFarlane (400 metres and 4x400 metres) and Michelle Burgher (400 metres and 4x400 metres). Both went directly to the United States along with other overseas-based Jamaican athletes.

Jamaica finished second overall at the championships with a haul of 10 gold and 10 silver medals, for a total of 20.

Cuba topped the event with 21 (11 gold, six silver and four bronze). Completing the top five were Mexico at third with 30 medals (nine gold, 13 silver and eight bronze), followed by Venezuela with 13 (two gold, seven silver and four bronze) and Puerto Rico with 12 (two gold, four silver and six bronze).

"The athletes put on an outstanding performance. It was just excellent overall. Our only regret is that we did not win all four relays," Jamaica's coach Jerry Holness said.

"This was our best haul ever. The quality of medals was better than those in 1999. We came back home with 19 medals with very little gold but this year we did much better," he added.

Jamaica failed to finish in the men's 4x100 final after third leg runner Lansford Davis pulled up with an injury. However, the country copped gold in the men's 4x400 in a record-breaking 3:00.83 as well as the women's 4x100 (43.83) and 4x400 (3.33.96) finals.

Vere Technical's outstanding sprinter Veronica Campbell returned home empty-handed after finishing eighth in her final. She was nursing a slight injury going into the race, coach Holness reported, and was not entered in any other event as a precaution.

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