JAMAICAN athletes at the Senior CAC Championships in Puerto Rico continued their tremendous form on Saturday's second day of completion as they picked up five more medals to take their tally to 15, which include six gold, five silver and four bronze.  Undoubtedly, the stars for Jamaica on Saturday, pocketing the three gold medals, were intermediate hurdlers, Leford Green and Andrea Sutherland along with the Men's 4x100 metres relay team.

It was the former Edwin Allen High athlete, Sutherland, who gave the country its fourth gold medal of the Championships when she had her best result of the season. Sutherland, who just completed her final year at Texas A&M; University,  had an easy victory in the final of the Women's 400 metres hurdles as she stopped the clock at 56.75 seconds to win the event. It was a bang up finish for the remaining medals as three hundredths of a second separated second to fourth places. Yolanda Osana of the Dominican Republic (57.23) and Katrina Seymour of The Bahamas (57.24)  picked up the silver and bronze medals.  Jamaica’s Sheryl Morgan just missed a medal as she was fourth in 57.25 seconds while pre-race favourite Josanna Lucas from Trinidad and Tobago could only manage fifth in 58.27 seconds.

It was a clean sweep for Jamaica as National champion in the Men's 400 metres hurdles, Green, like he did at the same venue last year at the CAC Games was victorious once again.  He had an easy victory as he won the event in 49.03 seconds to get the better of veteran Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic (49.41) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jehue Gordon who picked up the bronze after finishing third in 50.10 seconds. It was disappointment for the home fans as their local hero, Javier Culson could only manage fourth in 50.27 seconds. Jamaica's other competitor in the final, Roxroy Cato, ended up sixth in 50.38 seconds.

Jamaica picked up their third gold of the night in the final event, the Men's 4x100 metres relay.  The quartet of Lerone Clarke, Dexter Lee, Jason Young and Oshane Bailey turned back a strong Trinidad and Tobago team to take home victory in 38.81 seconds and the Trinidadians had to settle for second in 38.89 seconds.  The Kim Collins led St. Kitts and Nevis team took the bronze after finishing third in 39.07 seconds.  The men’s team made up for the disappointment of the Women's 4x100 metres relay as a few minutes earlier they were denied the gold by  Trinidad  as the calypso girls  won in 43.47 seconds with Jamaica taking the silver in 43.63 seconds and the Bahamas taking bronze in 43.74 seconds.  The members of the Jamaican team were Jura Levy, Anastasia Leroy, Simone Facey and Patricia Hall.

Bernard, the former Commonwealth Games champion in the Decathlon gave the country its first medal of the day when he finished second, after ten grueling events, to pick up the silver medal scoring 7,299 points. Marcus Sanchez of Puerto Rico was the gold medal winner after amassing 7,397 points while Venezuela’s Jonathon Davis picked up the bronze medal after his third place finish with 6,766 points.   

In the morning session there was preliminary action in the Women's 800 metres where both  Natoya Goule and Clora Williams advanced to Sunday's final. Goule finished second in her heat in 2:05.83 seconds, behind winner Neisha Bernard Thomas of Grenada. Thomas’ time of 2:05.54 seconds is the fastest time going into the final.  Williams was also second in her Heat in 2:09.58.
There was also preliminary round action on the track in the afternoon in the 200 metres where three of four Jamaicans advanced to Sunday’s finals.  Simone Facey, who was third in the Women's 100 metres final on Friday's opening day, advanced to her second final of the Championships.  Facey clocked 23.36 seconds in her heat to finish second behind the US Virgin Island’s Allison Peter who won the heat in 23.30 seconds.  Facey’s teammate Anastasia Leroy also made it through to the final after also finishing second in her heat in 23.43 seconds behind Carifta Under 20 champion, Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas. Strachan won the heat in 23.29 seconds while her teammate, Nivea Smith, was the fastest qualifier after winning her heat in 23.18 seconds.

In the Men's 200 metres only one Jamaican advanced to the final.  Former St. Jago High sprinter, Dwight Mullings finished third in his heat in 21.05 seconds and failed to qualify for the finals. Jason Young finished second in is heat in 20.77 seconds to move forward. Once again The Bahamas dominated this event as Michael Matthieu (20.64) and Demetrius Pinder (20.70 ) both won their heats to record the two fastest times going into the final.
The competition will come to a close on Sunday with several Jamaicans down to participate.  The preliminary round action in the Women's 100 metres hurdles and Men's 110 metres hurdles will be the first action on the track involving Jamaicans, with the finals set for later in the day. On the women’s side, Vonette Dixon and Andrea Bliss will compete while Hansel Parchment and Eric Keddo will be the Jamaican men who will compete here.

Following her silver in the 1500 metres on Friday, National champion in the Women's 3000 metres Steeple Chase Korene Hinds, will be hoping to go one place better when she competes in the obstacle event on Sunday.  In other track events both male and female teams will be hoping for gold in the 4x400 metres relay.  In field event action, Wilbert Walker will compete in the Men's triple jump while Yanique Levy and Francine Simpson will be among the competitors in the Women's long jump final.

Contributed by Raymond Graham