The United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands both sent small delegations to the annual Caribbean Free Trade Association Games held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Still, both teams are making their mark on this international athletic event, including Michelle Smith, who won her fourth straight gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles.
Smith is already a highly accomplished athlete at these games. She is the current record holder in the girls under-17 400-meter hurdles. She won gold in her final year competing at the under-17 level in this event in 2022. Moving up to the under-20 level, Smith captured gold for the next two years. She has also won three gold medals in the 800-meter race and a silver medal in the sprint hurdles. Smith was seeking her fourth straight gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles, and the world No. 1 in this event did not disappoint, crossing the finish line a comfortable 2 seconds ahead of the field. Her 56.60 time was not quick enough to break the girls under-20 400-meter hurdles CARIFTA record, but earned her a seventh CARIFTA gold medal, eighth overall.
The USVI’s Safiya Prasad competed in the under-17 400-meter hurdles and finished sixth in a time of 1:09.15. The USVI also entered teams in the boys’ under-20 4X100 relay and the girls’ under-17 4X100 relay. Micah Dominque, Kennedy Coggins, Juvante Hurst, and Jah’quan Creque finished in seventh in a time of 44.02 in the boys’ under-20 relay. Faith Eatmon, Safiya Prasad, Aminah Prasad, and Charlise Morris were the sprinters for the girls’ under-17 team, who crossed the finish line in eighth place.
The BVI’s Savianna Joseph finished fourth in the girls’ under-20 shot put with a throw of 13.52 meters. Romeena Davis finished seventh in the same event with a best throw covering 10.09 meters. The BVI registered for three relay events. Logan Macayla, MKenzil Crabbe, Deneil Clarke, and Sam’Asia Leonard finished sixth in the girls’ under-17 4X100 in a time of 47.52. The BVI entered a girls’ and a boys’ team in the under-20 4X100 relay races. Cristal Daly, Taryn Augustine, Shannia Johnson, and Shyra Stoutt made up the girls’ team. Mario Carter, J’Den Jackson, Shaumal Donovan, and Latriel Williams took the track for the boys. They both crossed the finish line in seventh place.
Paul Hewlett from the BVI competed in the decathlon. He placed eighth overall with a combined score of 4952 points. The eecathlon is a 10-event athletic competition that includes running and field events. On day two, Hewlett finished seventh in the discus throw, pole vault, and 1500-meter run; eighth in the shot put; and ninth in the javelin throw. A’sia McMaster of the BVI competed in the heptathlon, a seven-event athletic competition. McMaster finished third in the 100-meter hurdles, fourth in the shot put, and fifth in the high jump. This was the first day of the heptathlon.
In the pool, USVI’s Reagan Uszenski and Riley Miller had medal-winning performances. Uszenski picked up her second gold medal of these games by winning the girls’ 13-14 200-meter freestyle at 2:09.37. Later, she earned a silver medal in the girls’ 13-14 50-meter butterfly at 29.11. Miller also added a gold medal to her collection by winning the girls’ 15-17 50-meter butterfly at 28.05. She finished third in the girls’ 15-17 100-meter backstroke in a time of 1:05.85.
Kaeden Gleason capped off the USVI medal count for day two with a bronze in the boys’ 15-17 400-meter IM at 4:47.30. At the end of that race, Gleason outreached his teammate Daryan Maynard, who finished fourth, 0.09 seconds behind Gleason. Maynard also competed in the boys’ 15-17 100-meter backstroke, finishing fifth at 1:01.29. Gleason also competed in the boys’ 15-17 200-meter freestyle. His time of 1:57.52 earned him a seventh-place finish. On day one of these games, Zion John Baptiste was 0.05 seconds away from third place in the boys’ 13-14 backstroke. Day two, John Baptiste was 0.03 away from the podium in the boys’ 13-14 100-meter backstroke at 1:03.87, earning him fourth in the event.
The event continues Monday in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
