Bahamas - New Junior Sprint Capital?

[Historian]

I took the liberty of copying the following interesting post from The Caribbean Track & Field Forum next door:
http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?disc=113916;article=334464;title=Ca ribbean%20Track%20%26%20Field%20Forum

elmo
Jamaica are still the Carifta champions, but....
Mon Mar 26, 2012 13:02
72.27.124.69

the Bahamians are the sprint champions and with a population of less than 400,000, that is no mean feat, because Jamaica has recently been producing world class junior sprinters in droves.

A quick look at the gold medal winners in the sprinting events from last years Carifta games is quite revealing.
Boys U20
100M - Murphy (Jam)
200M - Williams (Turks)
400M - Ferguson (Bah)

Girls U20
100M - Strachan (Bah)
200M - Strachan (Bah)
400M) - James (Jam)....Miller DQ

Boys U17
100M - Davis (Bah)
200M - Cedenio (T&T)
400M - Cedenio (T&T)

Girls U17
100M - Charlton (Bah)
200M - Cox (Bah)
400M - McNeil (Jam)

The total count of individual sprint medals is:
Bahamas= 6 gold
Jamaica = 3 gold
Trinidad = 2 gold
Turks & C = 1 gold

So the Bahamas has won half the individual Gold medals on offer at the Carifta games, and Miller their most decorated junior sprinter did not contribute to that count.

But Jamaica can now claim the junior throws capital title.

Of the twelve events on offer, Jamaica won 7 gold medals.

Both trends will continue at the games this year.

[Peter R]

Did we have our best sprinters at Carifta? I somehow remember (I could be totally mistaken here) that the squad was not necessarily the strongest in the sprints... is that my imagination? Not to take anything from the athletes who won... they all have potential.

[Historian]

We Did!

Did we have our best sprinters at Carifta? I somehow remember (I could be totally mistaken here) that the squad was not necessarily the strongest in the sprints... is that my imagination? Not to take anything from the athletes who won... they all have potential.

We definitely had our best sprinters at Carifta last year. Outside of the relays, however, we fell short, and even although our Under-20 women set a new 4x100-meter relay record, the Bahamas women completely messed up their baton exchange on at least one leg.

Trust me, although there is no longer any Sheniqua Ferguson or Nivea Smith or Cache Armbrister (they are now college athletes), I would not be surprised if a Bahamian 4x100-meter team of genuine junior stars like Anthonique Strachan and Shaunea Miller shatters the Carifta Games Under-20 4x100-meter record next month.

There was a time when some of us boastfully suggested sending a B or a C team to Carifta. Well, the so-called small islands are now catching up, and with much smaller population sizes than Jamdown.

Never forget, also, that the Bahamas won Carifta three times in the early 1980s. It can happen again.

[Willi]

No, we did have some key injuries and non-selectees last year, but it would not have made that much difference.

However, dont write us off so quickly. We know how to fight!

[Islandman]

Quite an achievement by Bahamas though...they must be doing some things right.

[Mosiah]

But is this a different Bahamas?

I remember going to a Carifta Champs way back in the day where Bahamas gave us a good run, with quite a few supporters in the crowd as well. But what happened at the senior level? Apart from the trio of female sprinters and eventually a Williams-Darling and a high jumper...hmmm, dem neva do too bad when yuh tink a it!

[Islandman]

Yes they used to give us some competition back in the day, then we stepped on the gear and left them behind. Looks like they have stepped up thier game again.

Ah nuh nutten, we set the trend and dem follow!

[Willi]

Is war pon di track. Good times...