CARIFTA standards achieved at First Chance meet

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 16 January 2018

Ava Hider and Levi Superville both made CARIFTA marks in the 1500m. (FILE PHOTO)

The 2018 Cayman Islands domestic athletics season bolted out of the blocks at the First Chance meet on Saturday, 13 January, with two athletes making CARIFTA qualifying times.

Levi Superville and Ava Hider, both of 345 Athletic Club, punctuated the meet at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex with solid performances that saw them meet the standards set for the CARIFTA Games being held in the Bahamas over the Easter Weekend.

Superville, 15, was chasing the qualifying standard of 4:36.71 for the U17 Boys 1,500m. He crossed the line in 4:32.1 to easily make the mark. He was second fastest overall in the 1,500m on the day behind teammate Victor Magalhaes. The 18-year-old ran 4:29.3, outside the time required for the U20s at CARIFTA.

Ava Hider won the Women’s 1,500m open event in 5:13.0. The 16-year-old from 345 Athletic Club was quick to meet the CARIFTA standard set for U17 Girls.

Jaden Francis, 15 stormed to the line in 26.02 seconds as she dominated the field in the U17 Girls 200m, nearly two seconds quicker than second-placed Jazmin Robinson of Mustang Track Club (28.09) and Jonielia Wilson of HyTech Tigers in third (28.15). Her time in the event appeared to easily meet the CARIFTA mark but the wind was 2.8 m/s, which is over the legal limit.

She pulled off the sprint double, having earlier won the 100m in 12.5 seconds. Renia Smith, also of Falco Athletics, was second in 13.34 seconds and Renadra Powell of Mustang Track Club was third in 13.58 seconds.

Mustang Track Club’s Ty Goddard also won the 100m (13.59) and 200m (27.84) among U13 Boys to pull off the sprint double in his age group.

Mustang Track Club teammates Rianna Rankin and Aaliyannah Anderson finished 1-2 in the U13 Girls 100m and 200m. Anderson won the 100m in 13.68 seconds ahead of Rankin in 13.73 seconds, while Rankin led the way home in the 200m (28.49), followed by Anderson (29.23). Another Mustangs athlete, Micah Leon, was third in both races but took the top spot in the long jump ahead of the field that also included Rankin and Anderson.

Jermaine Brooks (Mustang TC) leads the field to the finish in the Men’s 400m.

Meet director Maxine Anglin said she was pleased to get the season off to a smooth start and was looking forward to building the momentum as the season moves forward.

Anglin added that she would also have loved to have seen more athletes turn out but she expected participation to build after the first meet, including more making the qualifying standards for the CARIFTA Games.

“The athletes are a bit rusty because it’s the first meet but as we progress, I’m expecting to see great performances, especially since the athletes are always enthusiastic about CARIFTA,” she said, adding that the various coaches have been doing a good job in preparing them for that goal.

Other winners on the day included:

U17 Boys 100m: Neil Brown (HyTech Tigers) 11.83

U20 Men 100m: Brandon Moore (HyTech Tigers) 11.00

Men 100m OPEN: Rymeich Adolphus (HyTech Tigers) 10.92

Women 100m OPEN: Olivia Samuels (Mustang TC) 12.20

U17 Boys’ 200m: Errol Smith (Mustang TC) 24.54

U20 Men 200m: Tahan Rice (Mustang TC) 23.21

Men 400m OPEN: Jermaine Brooks (Mustang TC) 49.67

Men 800m OPEN: Andre McLaughlin (345 AC) 2:28.9

Boys U13 Long Jump: Andrew Stone (Mustang TC) 4.48m

Girls U17 Long Jump: Rochelle Moore (Mustang TC) 4.34m