The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ANN-Marie Oriakhi became the latest athlete to qualify for the postponed CARIFTA Games, attaining the standard at the RC Athletics Throwers Meet on Saturday.

Oriakhi tossed the under-20 girls’ discus 41.30 metres on her second attempt to match the qualifying standard with her victory at the practice track outside the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

She was followed by Shelby Knowles, who threw 34.83m on her fourth and final try.

The two competitors also participated in the shot put that was won by Carnita Mackey, who previously qualified.

Mackey’s best effort was 11.27m on her first attempt. Oriakhi got second with 10.34m on her second and Knowles was third with 10.03m on her first.

Mackey also doubled up by winning the javelin with a heave of 38.61 on her first toss. Davonna Collie got second with a best of 38.33m on her second try.

RC Athletics’ founder and head coach Ronald Cartwright said the meet went very well and was well organised.

“We had some very good performances, I think it was about 3-4 qualifiers for CARIFTA, so I think it was a very fantastic meet,” he said.

As the meet director, Ronald Cartwright said they are hoping to have another one in April as they try to ensure that the throwers stay fit and sharp for the CARIFTA Games, which have now been postponed until August in Hamilton, Bermuda.

In the under-17 boys’ division, Caden Cartwright pulled off a double with his winning toss of 37.02m over Robert Deal with 21.25m in the discus and Cartwright took the javelin with 523.76, well ahead of Deal with 34.49m.

And in the under-17 girls’ division, CARIFTA qualifier Calea Jackson posted a pair of victories as well.

She won the shot put with 13.00m on her third try, followed by Teniel Ferguson with 9.63m on her fourth and G’Shan Brown with 8.53m on her first.

Jackson’s other win came in the discus with 40.25m on her second over Ferguson with 24.25m on her fourth and Ciann Clarke with 18.92m on her fourth as well. Brown threw 31.55m on her first try for the win in the javelin and Clarke was second with 14.71m on her third.

In the under-15 boys’ division, Berkley Finley took two of the three titles.

He won the discus with 21.07m on his fourth try with Damian Brice second with 19.24m on his first and Wyatt Cartwright third with 18.52m on his second.

Finley added the shot to his ledger with his winning toss of 8.90m on his third attempt as Brice got second with 8.73m on his second.

Brice, however, turned the tables with the victory in the javelin with 23.34m on his second toss with Cartwright second with 19.55m on his second and Finley settling for third with 17.15m on his fourth.

And in the under-15 girls’ division, Danielle Nixon was a double winner.

She took the shot put with her best heave of 10.72m on her fourth attempt, followed by Genia Smith with 8.93m on her third and Terrell McCoy with 8.48m on her second.

Nixon also clinched the javelin with a heave of 14.55m on her third attempt. McCoy was second with 8.87m on her first and despite fouling her first three tries, Smith got in a mark of 7.35m on her last attempt for third.

McCoy took the discus with 15.14m on her second attempt and Smith came in second with 14.92m, also on her second try.

In the under-20/open men's category, three different champions were crowned.

Philip Moss Jr won the discus with a heave of 43.05m on his third attempt, followed by Abner Johnson with 39.04m on his fourth and James Gilbert got third with 32.02m on his third.

Kendrick Thompson won the javelin with a heave of 49.65m on his first try, while Kenneth Gibson got second with 39.65m on his second and Roberto Lamar was third with 35.72m on his last try.

And Johnson emerged as the winner of the shot put with his best of 13.10m on his opening toss. Thompson got second with 12.52m on his second and Moss Jr was third with 12.04m on his third.

Based on the performances at the meet, Cartwright said the throwers are showing that they are right on target to compete this year, but with CARIFTA being pushed back to August, they should be competing at least once a month.

“I’m just a little disappointed that I can’t use the gym at the new track,” Cartwright said. “They say it’s been closed, so I don’t have anywhere to go for the throwers to lift weights.”