Barbados stunned Jamaica in their own backyard, winning the 14th Biennial Caribbean Union Of Teachers (CUT) Games on Saturday evening at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The new champions finished with 17 gold, 17 silver and seven bronze medals (41). Although Jamaica had 42 medals, they comprised 15 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze for 422.5 points, 37 fewer than Barbados.
It was a race to the wire and while official results are not available, the live stream via the Internet gave track and field fans across the Caribbean a chance to follow the action event by event.
Barbados held a slight lead from the first day, but the Jamaicans kept coming. At one point they were tied on ten gold medals, then Barbados eased ahead 13-12, only for Jamaica to win the Under-9 Girls’ 4×100 metres relay.
Jamaica won the Under-9 Boys’ 4×100 metres relay, with Barbados second, to take the lead but Barbados won the Under-11 Girls’ race.
Jamaica then took the Under-11 Boys’ race and the Under-13 Girls’ and it seemed to be all over, with them leading 16-14 gold.
Then it was announced that Jamaica’s Under-9 Boys’ team had been disqualified, bumping Barbados to another gold and the Bajans in the stands began celebrating.
By the time the Under-15 teams won both the relays, it was all over.
Among the Barbadians getting medals in Saturday’s sessions were male team captain Rivaldo Leacock, who set his second championship record with a run of 2 minutes, 03.11 seconds in the Under-15 Boys’ 800 metres.
Tiana Bowen won the girls’ race in 2:22.25.
Rosette Hoyte took the Under-13 Girls’ 200m in 26.42 seconds; Leilani Haddock was second in the Under-11 Girls’ race and her twin brother Ajani did the sprint double, also winning his race.
Tremaine Smith (25.02) and Tristan Evelyn were both second in the 200 metres for Under-15s; Shem Forde was second in the Under-15 Boys’ long jump with 6.18 metres and Antonio Farrell was second in the Under-13 Boys’ long jump with 5.45m. Malachi Harris and Sean Raphael were also medal winners.
The 2014 edition of the CUT?Games will be held in Trinidad and Tobago. (SAT)
