Athletics: Tracks stars clock final times before CARIFTA

Amateur track and field stars of the Cayman Islands made their final stop before the 48th CARIFTA Games Saturday (6 April) at the Cayman Islands Athletics Association (CIAA) Last Chance Trials held at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.

15-year old Juan Pablo Valerio was one of few athletes clocking a time in the vicinity of a CARIFTA cut, running 2:06.75 in the Boys Under-17 800-metres. The 345 Athletics Club member had already qualified for the Boys U17 1500-metres, but he came milliseconds short of the B-Standard of 2:06.18.

“It was pretty nerve racking to be so close,” said Valerio. “The 800 is one of my favorite races, my specialty I’d say. I have to keep pushing hard, see what I can do for next year.”

A fast field in the Boys Under-17 100-metres saw Mustang Track Club’s Jaden Reid finish first overall with a time of 11.52 seconds, while Hytech sprinter Neil-Brown McLennon went 11.64 seconds. Mustang Errol Smith was third overall with a time of 11.72s. All three sprinters ran shy of the CARIFTA B-cut of 11.16 seconds.

The Boys Under-20 finals saw Youth Olympics Games sprinter Nathan ‘Gary’ Rankin clock 11.38 seconds to finish first overall, followed by Hytech sprinter Maliek Copeland at 11.42s, with CARIFTA silver medal relay runner Najae Gordon clocking 11.45s for third. The field missed the Boys Under-20 CARIFTA B-cut of 10.80 seconds

Fellow Youth Olympic Games sprinter Danneika Lyn topped the Under-20 100-metres with a time of 12.64 seconds. Invictus’ Aijah Lewis (13.19s) and Hytech’s Katrina Richards (13.42s) and Falcon’s Nakiyah Sarsingh (13.71s) rounded out the field. Each sprinter fell shy of the 11.92s CARIFTA B-cut.

Falcon Athletics Ashantae Graham smashed the Girls Under-17 100-metre field, clocking 12.95 seconds. Monique Gordon (13.55s) and Mustang’s Deneisha Taylor (13.59s) rounded out the top three. The field came up short of hitting the CARIFTA B-cut of 12.16s.

The Athletics Association is set to name the athletes who will be competing at the 48th CARIFTA Games Wednesday, 10 April at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.

Full results for the meet were not made available.