Former western Jamaica-based athletes cop nine medals at NACAC Championships
MONTEGO BAY, St James — High jumper Lamara Distin, shot putter Courtney Lawrence and sprint hurdler Alexis James all won gold medals at last weekend’s North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Under-18 and Under-23 Championships at the National Stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica, as Jamaica topped the medals tables.
Athletes from western Jamaica accounted for nine medals — four gold, a silver and four bonze as Jamaica won 67 medals — 39 gold, 18 silver and 10 bronze in the three-day championships.
Distin, who won the national senior women’s high jump championships last month, was the first gold medallist as she won the Under-23 high jump with a clearance of 1.85 on Friday’s opening day.
Lawrence, who had won the US National Junior College indoors and outdoors titles, threw the shot put 18.66m to take the men’s Under-23 title.
James of Petersfield High made up for not making the final at the ISSA National Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships in May, by winning the Under-18 girls’ 100m hurdles, running 13.31 seconds (0.8m/s).
Former Spot Valley High runner Tyrese Reid won two medals, the silver in the men’s Under-23 800m in 1:49.44 seconds on Saturday and then returned the following day to take the bronze in the 1500m in 4:01.40 seconds.
Antonio Watson of Petersfield High also took two medals, bronze in the Under-23 men’s 200m where he ran 21.03 seconds (-1.7m/s) and was part of the men’s Under-23 4x100m relay team that took the gold medal.
Onieka Brisett of Rusea’s High was also third in the girls’ Under-18 400m, running 57.43 seconds and ran the third leg of the Under-18 Mixed 4x400m relay team.
Her Rusea’s High teammate Aalliyah Francis was third in the girls’ Under-20 200m in 24.32 seconds (0.4m/s).