Carifta Games Silver And Bronze Medals In The Bag

Lakeisha "Mimi" Warner, right and Jonel Lacey, clears the final barrier in the U20 Girls 400m Intermediate Hurdles. They became the territory's first athletes to compete in the event since the BVI began participating in the Carifta Games in 1976. PHOTO: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

BIRDROCK, St. Kitts, APRIL 6--Trevia Gumbs who missed the podium last year, won the BVI's first medal at the 44th Carifta Games on Sunday morning in the Silver Jubilee Stadium--renamed in honor of St. Kitts and Nevis' sprint icon Kim Collins--while Jonel Lacey picked up bronze in the 400m Intermediate Hurdles during the afternoon session.

After throwing 14.83m on her second attempt to break her own National Record, Gumbs who held the lead had long fouls before Trinidad and Tobago's Portious Warren launched the competition's only 15m throw with 15.22 effort on her fifth attempt to secure the gold. Trevia's twin sister Tynelle was seventh after a throw of 11.87m. Trevia's National Record marked the 11th successive week that some level of BVI record had been established since Jan 23--a first in BVI Athletics Association history.

After a 4x100m Relay bronze in 2012, Lacey--who missed the games last year--returned and debuted in the 400m Intermediate Hurdles where she finished third for an individual medal in a personal best of 1 minute, 01.26 seconds. Lacey was followed by Lakeisha "Mimi" Warner--who won 800m bronze medals in 2012 and 2013--and was fourth in 1:01.65 in just her second time over the barriers. She ran 1:04.71 a week earlier in heir first go over the barriers. Lacey's time is the fastest electronic time ever by a BVI athlete and only trails Pat Archibald's 60.0 seconds hand time from 1982 on the territory's All Time List.

Kyron McMaster narrowly missed a 400m Intermediate Hurdles bronze medal by 0.15 seconds when he finished fourth in 51.92 seconds. Akeem Bradshaw opened with a personal best leap of 7.26m to place fifth in the Long Jump. He contests the Triple Jump this afternoon.

Beyonce DeFreitas--who only learnt she could participate on Friday morning because of an initial ruling that 14 years olds were ineligible to compete, then missed the 400m later in the evening--advanced to tonight's U18 Girls 200m final, after running a personal best of 24.79 seconds. L'Tisha Fahie ran 25.05 to finish third in her hear but did not advance.

Nelda Huggins--who was a disappointing sixth in the 100m--advanced to the 200m final on time after finishing in 24.15 seconds in third--right behind the U.S. Virgin Islands' Quashira McIntosh's 24.04 time. Taylor Hill ran a personal best of 24.24--but missed the final by one place.

The final day of competition opens this morning with Tynelle Gumbs--who won bronze last year--seeing action in the Discus Throw along with her twin. Deya Erickson will run in the U20 Girls 100m finals this afternoon as well as Tarika "Tinker Bell" Moses--a 2013 U17 Girls 400m bronze medalist--who will contest the 800m final. Tynelle will close out her Carifta Games career in the Javelin Throw.

The quartet of Moses, Warner, Lacey and Hill, will make history, by becoming the BVI's first U20 Girls 4 x 400m Relay team at the Carifta Games since the territory made its debut in 1976.