Jamaica’s junior athletes secured four medals, including a gold won by Lotavia Brown, on day two of the 20th Pan American Under-20 Athletics Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica on Saturday.
The four medals on the day, which comprises a gold and three silver, pushed the country’s tally to 13 (three gold, six silver, and four bronze) going into Sunday’s final day.
The 13 medals kept Jamaica in third place on the medals table behind the United States (16 gold, 12 silver, and 7 bronze for a haul of 35 ) and Canada (4 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze for a haul of nine).
Brown’s gold medal came in the women’s triple jump, which the Edwin Allen High athlete won with an effort of 13.22m to add to the Carifta Games title she secured in the Cayman Islands in April.
Brown just managed to beat Leyanis Perez Hernandez of Cuba, who finished second for the silver medal with an effort of 13.21m. Mikeisha Welcome of Saint Vincent finished third for bronze with 13.15. Rhianna Phipps of Jamaica ended fifth with 12.98m.
Lamara Distin and the men and women’s sprint relay teams secured the silver medals.
Distin secured her silver medal in the women’s high jump, clearing 1.81m just behind gold medal winner American Sanaa Barnes’ 1.83m. Shelby Taylor of the United States took the bronze medal by clearing 1.78m, while Jamaica’s Janique Burgher, also cleared 1.78m for fourth place.
Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old sprint sensation Briana Williams secured her second medal of the championships by helping Jamaica to second place in the women’s 4x100m relay, a day after she won the 100m title.
The Jamaican team of Williams, Shakiera Bowra, Michae Harriot and Brandy Hall clocked 44.36 for second place as the United States took the gold medal by a wide margin with a 43.51-second clocking. Canada clocked 44.42 for third place and the bronze medal.
Oblique Seville also won a second medal by helping Jamaica to the silver medal in the men’s 4x100m relay.
The Jamaican quartet of Seville, Michali Everett, Xavier Naire and Kevon Stone clocked 39.20 seconds for second place as the United States dominated the event to complete a sweep of the sprint relays.
The United States with Arian Smith, Justin Ofotan, Marcellus Moore and Matthew Boling, secured victory in a new world U20 record of 38.62 seconds.
The previous record was 38.66 and was set on July 18, 2004, by the United States’ quartet of Trell Kimmons, Abidemi Omole, Ivory Williams and LaShawn Merritt at the World Junior Championships in Italy.
The United States also dominated the 200m with 1-2 finishes in the men and women’s finals as Jamaica failed to secure a medal.
In the men’s event, Xavier Naire of Jamaica finished fourth in 20.91 seconds. Matthew Boling completed the sprint double, winning in 20.31 seconds, while Kennedy Lightner was second in 20.56. Brazil’s Lucas Conceicao Vilar was third in 20.70.
In the women’s event, Jamaica’s Brandy Hall finished seventh in 24.39 seconds. United States pair of Lanae-Tava Thomas, 22.80, and Jayda Ecfordm 23.04 secured the gold and silver medals.
Seven Jamaicans will contest individual finals on Sunday.
