KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Rickiann Russell extended her unbeaten season and Jasauna Dennis upset his teammate Delano Kennedy to win the Boys’ Under – 20 gold medal as Jamaicans won three of the four 400m gold medals on Saturday’s opening day of the 50th CARIFTA Games at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas.

Nickecoy Bramwell ran a personal best to win the Under -17 boys’ gold medal, while Guyana’s Tianna Springer was a surprise winner in the Under -17 girls’ finals that was run in two sections.

Russell produced a strong stretch run to win her first CARIFTA individual gold in 51.84 seconds and held off Javonya Valcourt of the Bahamas who ran 52.12 seconds- her second personal best of the day for the silver.

Lacarthea Cooper of the Bahamas was third in 53.12 seconds, just ahead of the other Jamaican, Kacian Powell.

Dennis, who was third in the Class 1 final at Champs last weekend, held off Kennedy to win the Under- 20 boys’ 400m gold medal after running 46.43 seconds.

Kennedy, a World Under -20 finalist and winner in Class 1 at last weekend’s ISSA Boys’ Champs, ran 46.50 seconds with Amal Glasgow of St Vincent and the Grenadines retaining his bronze medal with 47.18 seconds.

Bramwell ran a well measured race and was rewarded with a personal best 47.86 seconds, taking the lead off the bend and won easily, Jaylen Bennett of St Kitts/Nevis won the silver with 48.59 seconds, just holding off Andrew Brown from the Bahamas who was third with 48.68

Springer, who was forced to go up against her teammate in a run-off in the morning session after arriving late at the championships, produced a late charge in the second of the two sections to win in 54.25 seconds, beating Jamaica’s Jody-Ann Daley- 54.81 seconds and De’Cheynelle Thomas of St Kitts/Nevis- 55.46 seconds.

– Paul A Reid