Jamaica finished fourth in the medals table with a total of 17 as the track and field competition came to an end at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games at Roberto Melendez Stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, yesterday with both the men’s and women’s marathons.

This was a massive improvement over 2014 when the team returned with one medal, a bronze, from the event that was hosted by Mexico.

Jamaican athletes won eight gold medals, three silver and six bronze to finish behind hosts Colombia who won 25 medals including 11 gold, five silver and nine bronze; powerhouse Cuba, who won the most medals with a total of 27 (10 gold, eight silver and nine bronze); and Mexico who won the same number of medals as Jamaica, but edged ahead due to one more silver medal.

Other English-speaking Caribbean territories to earn medals were Trinidad and Tobago with two gold, five silver and two bronze; Barbados with two gold and a bronze; British Virgin Islands with one gold, a silver and a bronze; The Bahamas and St Lucia with one gold each.

St Kitts and Nevis, Bermuda and Grenada ended with one silver a piece, while Antigua and Barbuda won a bronze.

The absence of globally acclaimed superstars for the most part created the opportunities for several Jamaicans to win their first major individual gold medal in national colours.

Nesta Carter created history when he became the first Jamaican man to win the 100m gold, one of the few on offer that had not been won by a Jamaican. And he was joined on top of the podium by Ramone Bailey in the men’s long jump, O’Dayne Richards in the men’s shot put, Jonielle Smith in the women’s 100m, Shashalee Forbes in the women’s 200m, Tiffany James in the women’s 400m, Rhonda Whyte in the women’s 400m hurdles and the women’s 4x100m relay team.

Annsert Whyte won a silver medal in the men’s 400m hurdles as well as Ashinia Miller in the men’s shot put and the women’s 4x400m relay team.

The bronze medals were won by Traves Smikle in the men’s discus throw, Shanice Love in the women’s discus throw, Jeanine Williams in the 100m hurdles, Jodean Williams in the women’s 200m, Derriann Hill in the women’s 400m and the men’s 4x100m relay team.