Sprinter Kadeem Chinapoo, last year's Carifta Games boys under-17 100m silver medallist, received a rough initiation into the under-20 category when he committed a false start in the boys under-20 100m semi-finals during the morning session on Day 1 of the 2025 Carifta Games programme at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on Saturday morning.
Chinapoo, who also won the under-17 200m gold in Grenada last year, jumped the gun in heat 3 this morning and was subsequently disqualified. Remarkably, it was the second false start in the race, as Turks and Caicos athlete Ronald Registre also jumped out of the blocks prematurely.
However, T&T will be represented by medallist Dylan Woodruffe in the under-20 boys 100 metres final. The 2024 4x100m relay gold medallist booked a lane by placing second in the first of four semi-final heats in the morning session. Although only the winner of each heat was guaranteed a lane in the final, Woodfruffe's 10.44 seconds was the fifth fastest time recorded overall.
Meanwhile, Woodruffe is among the nine Trinidad and Tobago athletes who will be seeking to secure precious medals when the afternoon is led by sprint twins Sole and Sanna Frederick in the under-20 girls 100 metres.
The 2024 Carifta Games under-20 4x100 metres relay silver medallist Sanna registered the fifth fastest time in this morning's 100m semi-finals, producing a time of 11.70 seconds to place second in heat 3, where the top two from each of the three heats advanced automatically to the final. Heat 3 was won by Guyana's Athaleya Hinckson, who also ran 11.70 seconds.
Earlier, Sole also placed second in her semi-final heat 1, clocking 11.72 seconds behind Jamaica's Sabrina Dockery, who recorded the second-fastest overall time in the round, 11.47 seconds.
In the under-17 boys 100m semi-finals, Alex Seepersad was T&T's lone qualifier, winning heat four in 10.78 seconds. Only the winner of each of the four heats progressed automatically, which meant that fellow T&T sprinter Jayden Goodridge missed out on the final. He placed third in heat one in 11.14 seconds, which was not fast enough for a quickest loser qualification.
In the girl's equivalent, Mikayla Granderson clocked 11.97 and placed second in heat two of three, with the top two in each heat advancing to the final. In heat one, Xiah Tobias placed fourth in 12.15 seconds and did not move on.
Earlier in the session, the first to book a spot in this afternoon's finals in their event were sprinters Eden Chee Wah and Kyah Hyson in the under-17 girls 400m. Competing in heat one of the semi-finals, Chee Wah clocked 56.05 seconds, placing third and securing an automatic spot in the final behind Keyezra Higgs of the Bahamas, who won in 54.29, and Tyra Fenton from Antigua, who crossed the line second in that heat in a time of 55.38.
In heat number three, Hyson was also third, registering a time of 56.91 seconds for a berth to the final. Heat three was won by Shameika McLean of Jamaica in 54.65, while St Kitts and Nevis' De'cheynelle Thomas ran 56.72 seconds in the second position.
Team TTO also found joy in the under-17 boys 400m semi-finals, as Brion Scott booked a spot despite finishing outside of a top two spot in heat one for automatic progression. Instead, he placed third in 49.01; however, that heat was so fast it provided two additional qualifiers, with Guyana's Ade Devenish-Sealy also clocking 49.01 in fourth spot. The winner was Jonathan Higgs from the Bahamas in 48.80 seconds, and Karmal Joseph of Grenada placed second.
Scott's countryman Darion Whiteman placed fourth in heat three in 49.53 seconds but did not advance.
Kayla Charles of T&T advanced out of the under-20 girls 400m semi-finals as she clocked 55.27 seconds and placed second in heat 2. Jamaica's Abrina Wright won in 53.93 seconds, and Emilie Montout of Guyana placed third to also grab a lane in this afternoon's final, producing a time of 55.32.
Earlier, in heat one, TTO athlete Sierra Joseph placed sixth in 57.09 seconds but was outside of a qualifying spot for the finals.
Da Shaun Lezama earned a fastest loser advancement in the under-20 boys 400m, placing third in heat 3 in 47.17 seconds. However, compatriot Makaelan Woods was disqualified from heat 1 after a false start.
However, Makaelan Woods, who appeared to false start in heat 1 and placed fourth after being allowed to run under protest, was later disqualified.
CARIFTA DAY 1 RESULTS Finals Morning Session
Under-17 girls’ high jump
1. Sackoya Palmer (Jamaica) 1.71 metres
2. Shania Mottley (Barbados) 1.71
3. Destinee Cenac (Saint Lucia) 1.68
Under-17 boys’ javelin
1. Ahkeel Williams (Bahamas) 57.51 metres
2. Wyatt Cartwright (Bahamas) 55.74
3. Jasono Henderson (Saint Kitts) 54.36
Under-20 girls’ javelin
1. Taysha Stubbs (Bahamas) 50.03 metres
2. Dior-Rae Scott (Bahamas) 45.61
3. Angely Curiel (Curacao) 40.08
Under-17 girls’ shot put
1. Gabriella Linton (Cayman Islands) 14.07 metres
2. Jaime-Lee Tulloch (Jamaica) 13.02
3. Ranique Richards (Antigua & Barbuda) 12.57
(CMC)
