In a year in which he has battled niggling injuries, Janeil Craigg has found his silver living.
The national junior record holder in the javelin won Barbados’ first medal, a silver, at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships on Saturday night in Medellin, Colombia.
Craig, 19, a student of the Coleridge and Parry School, had a best throw of 69.38 metres, done on his very first attempt. A second throw of 67.48 metres would have also secured second place as Canada’s Jon Krzygskowski’s best of 67.38 netted bronze.
Although the throw won him the same kind of medal as this year’s CARIFTA Games, the distance improved from 63.36 metres, but was still off his personal best of 71.58 set last year.
The gold medal went to Cayman Islands’ Pascal Schwarz who was in a class by himself with 72.82 metres.
Despite his success, Team Barbados can only rue leaving a gold medal on the table in the girls’ high jump which saw all three medal winners only clearing 1.76 metres before being separated on the count back.
Akela Jones, who was second in that event at the CARIFTA Games, cleared 1.80 metres then and again at the NAIA National Championships where she competes for Oklahoma Baptist University. Thea Lafond of Dominica, who was third at CARIFTA with the same 1.80 metres also got bronze in Colombia while the gold medal went to Cuba’s Daniellys Garay.
Levi Cadogan finished fifth in the 200 metres in 21.04 seconds. Not even his personal best 20.93 done this year at the National Championships would have put him on the podium.
Reinier Berenguen of Cuba was first in 20.63 seconds, followed by Brazil’s Victor Mourao (20.73) and Andre De Grase (20.74) of Canada.
Cuba’s Arialis Martinez did the double, winning the 200 metres in 23.27 seconds.
Juan Carlos Moreno gave the home fans something to celebrate when he won the 110-metre hurdles in 13.42 seconds and compatriot Paula Ross leaped 13.57 metres to win the women’s triple jump.
Dario Scantlebury (official time not available) did not reach the finals of the 400-metre hurdles which was won by Khalifah Rosser of the United States in 50.75 seconds. Barbados’ medal hopeful Kion Joseph did not attend the championships.
In two events contested late Friday, Charles Greaves was fifth in the long jump with 7.25 metres and Tristan Whitehall, beset by foul trouble, tenth in the discus with 48.34 metres.
