- RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Sharif Small ... won gold in Under-20 discus.
JAMAICA College's Sharif Small won Jamaica's first gold medal as the three-day Carifta Games began in Guadeloupe yesterday.
Small threw the discus 51.16 metres to win the Under-20 event ahead of Tyrone Benjamin of Dominica (49.95m) and Andre Jonew of Barbados 47.23m.
Jamaica won a second medal in the high jump for Under-17 boys. Christopher Waugh cleared 1.90m to earn bronze behind winner Raymond Higgs of the Bahamas who had a leap of 2.06m. The silver medal went to Barbadian Daniel Burke who cleared 2.03m.
In another final completed early yesterday Trinidad's Hileen James won the Under-17 girls' shot put with a throw of 11.93m from Deandre Dottin of Barbados (11.48m) and Guadeloupe's Laurianne Laurendot, 11.21m. Jamaica's Vanessa Levy was 11th with a best throw of 8.53m.
RECORD
On the track, University of Technology student Kalise Spencer ran a record 51.82 seconds in the heats to set a new record for the Under-20 girls 400m. The old mark, 52.18, was set in 1986 by veteran Jamaican representative Sandie Richards. The second heat went to Sonita Sutherland, the VMBS/ISSA Girls Championships winner, in 52.73. The final was set for last night.
Jamaican athletes dominated the 400m heats.
In other 400m results Latoya McDermot had the leading time going into the final of the Under-17 girls final. She won her heat in 54.62. The next best time was 56.12 by Chantel Malone of the British Virgin Islands.
TWO FASTEST
Among the Under-17 boys, Jamaica had the two fastest qualifying times. Dwight Robinson led the way with 48.96 while Akino Ming clocked 49.03. Both won their heats.
Fastest qualifier in the Under-20 boys was Trinidad's Renny Quow with 47.19. Jamaica's Allodin Fotergill was next best with a 47.80 clocking.
The 100m finals were also set for last night. Jamaica's Remaldo Rose took things very easy in qualifying for the semi-finals trotting to 10.99. The fastest qualifier was Trinidad's Keston Bledman who won his heat in 10.71. Jamaica's second entry, Winston Barnes, was third in his Bledman's heat in 10.90.
