Seven Bajans progress after CARIFTA Games’ first session

By Anmar Goodridge-Boyce

So far, so good.

Barbados enjoyed a decent start on the tracks in the opening session of the 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games in Nassau, Bahamas, with seven athletes advancing to the next round later tonight.

The proceedings started with a few showers and ended with clear skies and sunshine and the island’s fastest schoolgirl, Aniya Nurse, was the first Barbadian to progress after she clocked 12.08 seconds – the third quickest qualifying time, to finish second in heat two of the Under-17 girls 100-metre at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Overseas-based sprinter Khristel Martindale was the next to follow, stamping her authority to win heat one of the Under-20 girls 100-metre in 11.85 seconds ahead of Geolyna Dowdye (11.97) of Antigua & Barbuda.

In the boys Under-20 100-metre heats, T’Shuan Sealy clocked 10.66 seconds and was third in heat one while Barbados’ fastest schoolboy, Aragon Straker, captured heat two in 10.76 seconds.

The biggest news of the morning came when promising Jamaican wonderboy and favourite, Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, who stormed to 9.99 seconds at Jamaica’s Champs last week, pulled up in heat three with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Last year’s Austin Sealy winner Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands, who moved up to the Under-20 division, has also suffered an injury.

Barbados’ Kadia Rock will compete in the Under-17 girls 400-metre semi-finals after securing her spot with a time of 57.11 seconds to finish third in the first heat. Meanwhile teammate Ariel Archer (58.32) narrowly missed out on qualification with a fourth place in the second heat.

In the boys’ event, Kaden Dowrich -Roach was also fourth in his heat in 50.11 seconds but it was enough to see him through to the final.

Brieanna Boyce is into the Under-20 girls 400-metre final slated for 6:05 pm this evening after she clocked 56.35 seconds and was third in heat two. In the boys’ equivalent, Amir Gustave finished third in his heat in 48.85 seconds and will not advance to the final.