Guadeloupe's Sareena Carti, left, and the BVI's Tarika Moses battle in the 400m where Carti kicked off the records assault
JUNE 3—Like the BVI Twilight Invitational on which it was the under card, there was exciting action in the Leeward Jr. Invitational segment, which saw nine meet records fall and the establishing of another, in the gathering of U20 athletes with the British Virgin Islands hosting athletes from neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Guadeloupe’s Sareena Carti opened the competition by overhauling the BVI’s Tarika “Tinker” Bell” Moses to break her own 400m meet record of 55.31 seconds from last year, with the second best mark of her career, when she stopped the clock at 54.53. Her best is 54.26 from Carifta Games 2010 in Jamaica.
Moses—who beat Carti at this year’s Carifta Games in Nassau—finished second in a personal best of 54.95, eclipsing the 55.02 she ran two weeks ago at the Golden South Classic in Orlando, Florida. Teammate Jonel Lacey shaved .01 off her best for third in 56.07.
The BVI’s Khari Herbert won the Boy’s equivalent in 48.39 seconds to take out Nevis’ Jevon Claxton’s 48.65 mark established in 2008. St. Kitts Warren Hazel split the BVI pair for second in 49.14 with Kyron McMaster third in 49.45.
St. Kitts’ Ka’Jon Parris landed in the 800m record books when he sneaked past the BVI’s Tarique Moses to win the event in 1 minute, 57.17 seconds to Moses’ 1:57.80—a personal best. U.S. Virgin Islands’ Malique Smith was third in 2:01.99.
Taylor Hill’s triple
The BVI’s Taylor Hill was the meet’s only 3-peat winner, matching her 2012 feat. Hill held off charging teammate L’Tisha “Lea” Fahie in both sprints, taking the 100m in 12.23 seconds to Fahie’s personal best of 12.24, shaving .03 off the 12.27 she ran at the Golden South Classic in Orlando. U.S. Virgin Islands’ Nia Jack—who bested them at Carifta—was third in 12.43.
Again, Hill repelled Fahie’s 200m finish line rush in another close race, 24.95-24.98 as Fahie dipped under 25.00 for the first time. Nevis’ Chole Williams was third in 25.74.
Hill who anchored the 4x400m to a meet and the National Youth Record of 3:19.19 last year, led off the victorious 4x100m Relay. She handed of to Fahie who passed on to Lacey with Moses anchoring them to a meet record and National Youth Record time of 46.62 seconds. The time eclipsed the 46.69 established by the quartet of Britney Wattley, Ashley Kelly, Chantel Malone and Shanice Hazel, in 2007.
Guadeloupe’s Radia Gaza established the 400m Intermediate Hurdles standard as the event was introduced in Leeward Islands competition for the first time, as mark that is an All Comers Record. She cleared the barriers in 1 minute, 01.90 seconds. She was followed by teammate Meghane Grandson in 1:02.96. St. Kitts’ Keishonna Brookes edged the BVI’s Deya Erickson for third in her debut, 1:07.05-1:07.60.
Field Events
Carifta Games U17 Girls Long Jump bronze medalist St. Kitts’ Krystal Liburd, leapt 5.96m for victory, surpassing the 5.64m competition best recorded by Anguilla’s Shara Proctor in 2003. Anguilla’s Rechelle Meade was also over the old mark with a 5.74 leap with the BVI Kanishque Todman finishing third in 5.47.
In the battle with between the 2012 and 2013 Carifta Games U17 Girls Javelin Throw champs—BVI’s Tynelle Gumbs and Dominica’s Shanee Angol—Gumbs prevailed.
Gumbs tossed the 500g spear 39.91m to Angol’s 35.97m for her second win over Angol and improved her 36.05m meet record from last year in the process.
Gumbs’ twin sister Trevia had a Shot Put toss of 14.03m to improve the 13.57m mark she established in 2012 and had the satisfaction of qualifying for next month’s IAAF World Youth Championships in Ukraine. Deklya Hodge settled for a personal best of 11.41m and Kiwana Emmanuel was third with 10.34m to complete a BVI sweep.
The BVI’s Eldred Henry was a double repeat Discus Throw (1.75k) and Shot Put winner, improving his own records established last year. He tossed the platter 50.47m—up from the 44.19m in 2012 and heaved the 6k iron ball 16.73m to improve his own meet record of 14.73.
He was followed by teammate Kadeon Potter and the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Avery Joseph in both events.
Guadeloupe's Sareena Carti, left, and the BVI's Tarika Moses battle in the 400m where Carti kicked off the records assault
JUNE 3—Like the BVI Twilight Invitational on which it was the under card, there was exciting action in the Leeward Jr. Invitational segment, which saw nine meet records fall and the establishing of another, in the gathering of U20 athletes with the British Virgin Islands hosting athletes from neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Guadeloupe’s Sareena Carti opened the competition by overhauling the BVI’s Tarika “Tinker” Bell” Moses to break her own 400m meet record of 55.31 seconds from last year, with the second best mark of her career, when she stopped the clock at 54.53. Her best is 54.26 from Carifta Games 2010 in Jamaica.
Moses—who beat Carti at this year’s Carifta Games in Nassau—finished second in a personal best of 54.95, eclipsing the 55.02 she ran two weeks ago at the Golden South Classic in Orlando, Florida. Teammate Jonel Lacey shaved .01 off her best for third in 56.07.