The Kirani James Athletic Stadium in Grenada witnessed its share of thrills throughout the 51st CARIFTA Games, but the final day reserved its biggest twist for the curtain closer – the 4x400m relays on Monday.
The Under-20 boys’ relay, typically a heart-stopping finale, descended into confusion as a supposed second starter’s pistol, or what some thought was a second one, halted three teams mid-race. Jamaica, unfazed, continued the race to a seemingly comfortable victory in 3:10.58.
However, protests erupted from the halted teams, leading to a dramatic turn of events.
The trio that stopped was granted a second chance – a timed final run under the fading lights.
While Trinidad and Tobago pushed Jamaica close with a 3:11.10 finish, the Jamaicans clung onto their gold. The Bahamas team, initially awarded bronze, were disqualified due to a lane violation, handing Guyana the third-place medal in 3:14.05. Barbados, who finished the initial race, ended up fifth with a time of 3:14.39.
But the drama wasn’t confined to the track.
The Under-20 girls’ relay medal ceremony witnessed a gaffe of epic proportions. The announcer mistakenly called Bahamas, absent from the infield, for the bronze medal, leaving the rightful recipients, the Barbados quartet, standing bewildered. Jamaica secured gold in 3:34.69, followed by Trinidad and Tobago’s silver medal run in 3:47.51.
Adding to the confusion, initial results showed a disqualification for the Barbados Under-20 girls’, later reversed to a Bahamas disqualification.
Further muddying the waters, despite Barbados’ Under-17 girls’ 4x400m team being disqualified, they still received their bronze medals on the podium. This disqualification was later upheld, handing the bronze to Trinidad and Tobago.
(CG)
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