JINELLE Campbell, Jahaziel David and Lalenil Grant were the headline Tobago athletes, at the National Association of Athletic Administration third development meet, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Sunday.
All three athletes will be in high consideration for the for 50th edition of the Carifta Games, scheduled for the Bahamas from April 7-10.
Campbell of Mason Hall Police Youth Club established daylight between the shot put Carifta standard of 11.79, when her monstrous third attempt landed at 12.62 metres.
Competing in the under-20 girls’ category, Campbell’s performance eclipsed her previous personal best of 12.50 metres.
David, representing Mercury, was the top athlete in the boys under-17 long jump event.
David improved on his season’s opener of 6.13 metres, to produce a 6.61m performance on the day. His Carifta target was 6.37m.
Grant, also of Mercury, will be eyeing her second Carifta trip, after going past the requirements in the girls under-20 discus. Her best attempt of 44.04m was well over the 39.57m standard.
On the track, the performances of Nathaniel Charles representing Tobago Jaguars and Jayden Phillips of Mason Hall Police Youth Club, stood out among the Tobago athletes.
Both athletes won their respective heats in the boys under-17 100 metres and 200 metres sprints.
Facing the starter in heat one of the 100m, Charles flashed a time of 11.40 seconds to record the second-fastest time overall. Phillips (11.50s) in heat four, was the fourth fastest. Kareem Gibson, running unattached, posted the fastest time of 11.25 seconds.
In the 200 metres, Phillips also produced the fourth leading time of 23.36 seconds. Charles (23.45) was one place lower overall, and Gibson (22.87) did the sprint double.
The high point on the track was undoubtedly the performance of Symphony Patrick of Concorde Athletic Club.
The under-17 female sprinter had the attention of the spectators, as she demonstrated a brilliant start, power and majestic form to capture pole position in the 100m, timed at 11.95 seconds.
Patrick was the only female sprinter in her age group to dip under 12 seconds, and easily attained the Carifta mark of 12.04 seconds.
Among other athletes surpassing the Carifta time were Kayleigh Forde of Plus One a Week Athletic club, Tafari Waldron of Cougars Athletic Club and Jahfa Woodley of Memphis Pioneers – all in the 1500m.
Forde, who represented TT at the 2022 Carifta in Jamaica, produced a time of five minutes and .41 seconds, just inside the five minutes, 2.23 seconds needed.
Waldron, a silver medallist at the previous Carifta, stopped the clock at four minutes, 4.07 seconds, ahead of Woodley (4.11.36), to eclipse the (4.11.47) barrier.
The fourth development meet is scheduled for the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet in Tobago, on Sunday.
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