Silver and Bronze for CARIFTA athletes

Strength in numbers! That’s not always the case judging by St Lucia’s performance at the recently concluded 41st Edition of CARIFTA Games, which took place in Bermuda from April 6-9. St Lucia which fielded a team of only seven athletes captured three silver and one bronze medal.
Marbeq Edgar took the silver in the Under-20 Boys 1500 metres (m). He covered the distance in 4:06.34. Finished ahead of Edgar was Orane Wint of Jamaica (4:06.05). Mark London Trinidad took third sport (4:09.64).
Shem Edward who is no stranger to CARIFTA, sky rocketed to St Lucia’s second silver in the Boys Open Pole Vault (4.05 m). The gold medal went to Jamaican Xavier Boland (4.40 m) with Tre Adderley from Bahamas third (3.45 m).
Sharnique Leonce brought home St Lucia’s third silver medal in the Open Girls Pentathlon with a personal best 3,035 points. She placed first on the 100 m hurdles, second in shot put, third in high jump, fifth in long jump and fourth in the 800 m.
It was bronze for Jeannelle Scheper in the Under- 20 Girls High jump when she cleared a height of 1.80 m. Finishing ahead of her was Jamaican Kimberley Williams (1.82 m). Akela Jones (Barbados) was second clearing the same height as Scheper but came out ahead on count back.

Three of St Lucia’s seven athletes at CARIFTA were kept off the medal podium. Talbert Poleon made it through to the finals in the Under-20 Boys 400 m, where he placed fifth in a time of 49.53. Samara Edward placed seventh in the Under-17 Girls 1500 m. She covered the distance in 5:26.42. In the Under-17 Boys High Jump, Ace Louis finished 11th overall.
As expected the powerful Jamaicans dominated the 41st edition of the CARIFTA Games. Their athletes captured 77 medals – 34 gold, 24 silver and 19 bronze. The Bahamas were a distant second overall with 38 medals – 13 gold, 13 silver and 12 bronze. Finishing third was Trinidad & Tobago with 24 medals – eight gold, nine silver and seven bronze.
The Bahamas will try putting a stop to Jamaica’s dominance at CARIFTA (having won 36 of the 41 competitions) when they host this prestigious track and field competition next year.