MORELIA, Mexico (CMC) – Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Bahamas finished behind host Mexico following strong performances on the final day of competition at the XXIV Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Senior Athletics Championships on Sunday.

Mexico topped the medal count with a total of 47 including 17 gold medals. Jamaica was the top English-speaking Caribbean country with 21 medals, 11 of which are gold. They were followed by Trinidad & Tobago 13, Bahamas 8 and Barbados 4.

The highlight on the final day was a new championship record for Odayne Richards of Jamaica in the Men’s Shot Put event. He threw the iron ball at a distance of 20.97 metres, erasing his compatriot Dorian Scott’s mark of 20.21m set in 2007.

He was more than three metres ahead of his nearest rival, Josue Santana of Mexico (17.74m).

The winning throw also gives him an “A” standard qualifying mark in the event for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Russia next month.

Also securing individual qualifying marks for the World Championships were Kineke Alexander of St Vincent & the Grenadines, Antoine Adams of St Kitts & Nevis, Lalonde Gordon of T&T and Jason Livermore of Jamaica.

Alexander won the Women’s 200m in 23.00, inside of the “A” standard time of 23.05. She was followed by Aleen Bailey of Jamaica (23.08) and Marielys Sanchez of the Dominican Republic (23.15).

Adams (20.13), Gordon (20.28) and Livermore (20.29) took the top three positions in the Men’s 200m and confirmed qualifying times for selections on their respective national teams.

There were also victories for Cuban-born Yordanys Durañona, who now competes for Dominica, in the Men’s Triple Jump (16.45m); Darrell Garwood of Jamaica the Men’s High Jump (2.22m), same height as Jamal Wilson of the Bahamas who took the silver medal; Emmanuel Mayers of T&T in the Men’s 400m Hurdles (49.72) and Danielle Dowdie of Jamaica in the Women’s 400m Hurdles (56.39).

Trinidad & Tobago secured gold medals in the final two events – the 4x400m relays. The Trinidadian quartet of Shawna Fermin, Sparkle McKnight, Ramona Modeste and Alena Brooks took the gold in 3:30.64 followed by Mexico (3:34.52) and Bahamas (3:36.41). Pre-race favourite Jamaica was disqualified.

T&T also ran away with the Men’s version in 3:02.19, with Bahamas (3:02.66) and the Dominica Republic (3:02.82) finishing second and third respectively.