Sports

Jamaica secure 39th consecutive Carifta Games title

Melton Williams

April 22, 2025 12:06 AM ET

6 mins read

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Jamaica

Jamaica delivered a commanding performance at the 52nd Carifta Games, which ended on Monday night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago, finishing atop the medal table with a total of 78 medals – 30 gold, 27 silver, and 21 bronze.

Although Jamaica’s tally was six fewer than the 84 they earned last year, their dominance remained clear as they secured their 39th consecutive title and 47th overall since the event began. The last time Jamaica failed to win the regional competition was in 1984.

The Bahamas secured second place with a haul of 37 medals – 16 gold, 13 silver, and eight bronze – while hosts Trinidad and Tobago finished third with 25, including nine gold, six silver and 10 bronze. Grenada followed with 13 medals (2 gold, 6 silver, and 5 bronze), and Antigua and Barbuda rounded out the top five with five medals, claiming two gold, one silver, and two bronze.

Shanoya Douglas emerged as Jamaica’s standout performer, claiming four gold medals at the Games. The 17-year-old, who won bronze in the 200m at last year’s World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, began her campaign by taking the Girls’ Under-20 100m title in 11.26 seconds on Saturday. She then anchored the 4x100m relay team to victory in 43.65 seconds on Sunday, before returning on Monday to successfully defend her 200m crown and close out her impressive showing with another strong anchor leg to secure gold in the Under-20 4x400m relay.

The Girls’ Under- 20 quartet, which also included Abrina Wright, Annastacia Hall, and Jovi Rose, moved the baton around the track in 3:37.75 to hold off a Barbados team that clocked 3:39.36, while the Bahamas quartet finished in 3:41.36.

Douglas successfully defended her 200m title with a time of 23.02 seconds, while teammate Sabrina Dockery, who was disqualified from the 100m final for a false start, bounced back to take bronze in 23.45 – her second medal of the Games. Trinidad and Tobago’s Solé Frederick claimed silver in 23.43.

Jamaica added two more medals in the 200m events.

In the Boys’ Under-20 200m final, Jamaica secured silver and bronze through Tyreece Foreman (20.95) and Junior Galimore (21.01), narrowly edged by Barbados’ Jayden Green, who won in 20.93.

Jamaica also dominated the sprint relays, claiming three of the four titles and posting one-two finishes in both the Girls’ Under-17 100m hurdles and the Boys’ Under-20 110m hurdles.

Malayia Duncan led the way in the Girls’ Under-17 100m hurdles, winning in 13.34, followed by teammate Nickayla Russell (13.71). Jasmine Thompson of the Bahamas took bronze in 14.33.

Shaquane Gordon won the Boys’ Under-20 110m hurdles in a Games record 13.19, narrowly ahead of teammate Daniel Clarke, who clocked 13.21 after earlier matching the previous record of 13.23, set in 2014 by Guadeloupe’s Wilhem Belocian, in the semifinals. Tahj Brown of the Bahamas finished third in 13.82.

Tiana Marshall claimed Jamaica’s other sprint hurdles gold, winning the Girls’ Under-20 title in 13.50 seconds. Barbados’ Maya Rollins took silver in 13.80, with Bryana Davidson, another Jamaican, earning bronze in 13.82.

In the Boys’ Under-17 110m hurdles, Jamaica’s Brandon Bennett (14.08) and Mark-Daniel Bennett (14.30) took silver and bronze behind the Bahamas’ Jahcario Wilson (13.70).

Alongside their victory in the Girls’ Under-20 4x400m relay, Jamaica also clinched the Girls’ Under-17 title, with the team of Shameika McLean, Kevongaye Fowler, Alikay Reynolds, and Tracey-Ann Evans taking gold in 3:39.39. They finished well ahead of the Bahamas, who clocked 3:45.27, and Trinidad and Tobago, who crossed the line in 3:47.25.

Their field event athletes matched the track dominance with four one-two finishes.

Kamari Kennedy set a new Boys’ Under-17 discus record with a throw of 60.87m, surpassing the previous mark of 53.32m set in 2019 by fellow Jamaican Kobe Lawrence. His teammate Brandon Lawrence claimed silver with 49.00m, while Kaiden Kemp of the Bahamas took bronze with a throw of 47.71m.

It marked Kennedy’s second record-breaking performance of the Games. On Sunday, he delivered a lifetime best of 18.90m in the shot put, eclipsing the 18.80m record set last year by compatriot Javontae Smith.

Amani Phillips led a Jamaican one-two in the Boys’ Under-17 long jump, winning with a mark of 7.49m. Michael Graham took silver with a jump of 7.33m.

In the Girls’ Under-20 high jump, Danielle Noble took gold on countback over Shanniqua Williams after both cleared 1.80m. Jah’kyla Morton of the British Virgin Islands secured bronze with 1.70m.

Despiro Wray capped Jamaica’s success in the field by winning the Boys’ Under-20 shot put with a throw of 19.66m, ahead of teammate Devonte Edwards (18.74m) and Grenada’s Dylan Logan (15.80m).