On Saturday, Shericka Jackson and Akeem Blake from Jamaica won gold medals at the North American Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association Championships (NACAC) in Freeport at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex in Freeport (The Bahamas).
Oregon World Athletics Championships 100m silver champion Jackson ran 10.83 seconds to break the championship record. This was her first international win at this distance.
Celera Barnes, USA, was 11.10 seconds faster than Natasha Morrison from Jamaica to win the silver medal. Morrison was 11.11.
Blake won his first international 100m gold-medal in 9.98 seconds. Blake’s 9.98 second time beat the 10.03 championship record set in 2018 by Tyquendo Tracey in Toronto.
Blake, a 20-year-old won ahead USA pair Kyree King (10.08), and Brandon Carnes (10.12). Oshane Bailey from Jamaica was seventh in 10.33
Taylor was a finalist in 400m at the Oregon World Athletics Championships and also set a new record with 44.63 seconds in the one-lap race.
Taylor also set a new personal record with his improved time to 13th place on the Jamaican all times list, while Nathon Allen, another Jamaican, was at 45.04 for silver.
Taylor’s win opened the door to a golden future for Jamaica.
Bryce Deadmon, USA, won the bronze medal in 45.06.
Jamaica won 11 medals that day: three gold, three bronze, and three silver. This was in addition to O’Dayne Richards’ bronze in Friday’s men’s shot put.
Nathon Allen was joined by Megan Tapper, the mixed 4x400m relay and Megan Tapper as silver medalists on the day.
Tapper was awarded the silver medal in women’s 100m hurdles.
Tapper was the first Jamaican woman to win an Olympic medal at 100m hurdles. She finished third in Tokyo last year. Tapper took 12.68 seconds to earn the third medal for Jamaica.
Alaysha Johnson USA, won the gold medal in 12.62 seconds. Devynne Charlton, host nation of The Bahamas, secured bronze in 12.71.
Mixed 4x400m relay was up for grabs at these championships. The silver medal went to the Jamaican quartet of Demish Gayle, Andrenette Knight, Junelle Bromfield and Karayme Bartley who finished in 3:14.08
In 3:12.05., the USA won gold with the quartet of Quincy Hall, Jaide Stepter Baynes as well as Ismail Tuner and Kaylin Whitney. Bronze was won by Cuba in 3:20.35
Adelle Tracey and Orlando Bennett were joined by Stephenie Ann McPherson, Natasha Morrison and Chanice Porter as bronze medal winners.
Tracey a former Great Britain athlete, won her bronze medal in women’s 800m. To win her first medal for Jamaica, she completed in 1:59.54.
Ajee’ Wilson, USA, ran 1:58.47 in order to beat Allie Wilson (1.58.48) for gold.
Bennett finished third in the 110m hurdles men’s race with a season-best of 13.18 seconds. This was also fireworks for the entire stadium.
Freddie Crittenden, Pan American Games silver medalist, rewrote records to win the gold medal. He ran a time of 13.00 seconds which is a personal record for the sprint hurdler in the United States. Jamal Britt (13.08) and Bennet (13.18) were also faster than the previous record.
McPherson, a finalist at the Oregon World Athletics Championships, ran 50.36 seconds in winning bronze in the women’s 4x400m. Junelle Bromfield was sixth in 51.51.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo a two-time Olympic gold medalist won the gold medal and the title with a championship record 49.40. She was ahead of Sada Williams of Barbados (49.86).
Miller-Uibo was elated to have won the world 400m title in Eugene. She then traveled to Germany to watch her husband Maicel Uibo from Estonia compete at the European Championships. Then she crossed the Atlantic Ocean to complete the season on her home turf.
Miller-Uibo signed autographs and took photos with fans after the medal ceremony. She was also greeted at the stadium by Philip Davis, the Prime Minister of the Bahamas.
Porter won bronze in women’s long jump, jumping 6.43m. She did this in the final round.
Quanesha Burks, USA, won the gold medal at 6.75m. Christabel Nettey, Canada, took silver with 6.46.
On Sunday, the NACAC Championships went on with 17 more finals including the 200m and 1500m for men and women, as well the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
