On your mark, set, go! The National Stadium echoed with excitement as the 2022 Carifta games began yesterday. Off to an exciting start, the first day saw Jamaica leading with 29 medals: 11 gold, 13 silver and 5 bronze. The Games will continue through to Monday, April 18, with Jamaica looking to extend its outstanding record on home soil. Boasting the largest delegation of athletes, the country leads the overall medals table with 770 gold medals, while the Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago make up the top three with 171 and 166, respectively.
Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games
The Caribbean Free Trade Association established the CARIFTA Games, which were first hosted in Barbados in 1972. The CARIFTA Games is an annual sporting event that includes various athletic events. Some of these events include; medium distance track competitions, sprint races, hurdle races, and field events.
This year, CARIFTA is staged under the endorsement of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC). Jamaica will host the event for the eighth time, and their national squad will be vying for their 44th title. The Games are split into two age categories, Under-17 and Under-20.
Opening Ceremony
The Games were declared opened by the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica. Confessing his excitement, he was ecstatic that Jamaica is hosting the Carifta Games during its 60th Anniversary Celebrations. The Prime Minister also offered words of encouragement to the athletes and congratulated them on their accomplishments and hard work. Other speakers included, the Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Sebastian Coe, President of the World Athletics IAAF and Gareth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association.
Schedule for Day 2 – Sunday, April 17
- 09:00 110m Hurdles Octathlon Boys – Event 5
- 09:05 Long Jump Heptathlon – Event 5
- 09:10 Javelin Throw U-20 Girls Final (600g)
- 09:15 400m Hurdles U-17 Girls Semi-Finals (0.76m)
- 09:20 Shot Put U-20 Girls Final (4kg)
- 09:25 400m Hurdles U-20 Girls Semi-Finals (0.76m)
- 09:35 400m Hurdles U-17 Boys Semi-Finals (0.84m)
- 09:40 High Jump Octathlon Boys – Event 6
- 09:45 400m Hurdles U-20 Boys Semi-Finals (0.91m)
- 10:00 800m U-17 Girls Semi-Finals
- 10:15 800m U-17 Boys Semi-Finals
- 10:20 Javelin Throw Heptathlon Girls – Event 6 (600g)
- 10:30 800m U-20 Girls Semi-Finals
- 10:35 Long Jump U-20 Boys Final
- 10:45 800m U-20 Boys Semi-Finals
- 11:00 200m U-17 Girls Heats
- 11:10 200m U-17 Boys Heats
- 11:20 200m U-20 Girls Heats
- 11:30 200m U-20 Boys Heats
- 11:40 MEDAL CEREMONY
- 15:00 4x100m Relay U-17 Girls Semi-Finals
- 15:05 High Jump U-17 Boys Final
- 15:10 4x100m Relay U-17 Boys Semi-Finals
- 15:15 Long Jump U-17 Girls Final
- 15:20 4x100m Relay U-20 Girls Semi-Finals
- 15:25 Javelin Octathlon Boys – Event 7 (800g)
- 15:30 4x100m Relay U-20 Boys Semi-Finals
- 15:35 Shot Put U-17 Boys Finals (5kg)
- 15:45 400m Hurdles U-17 Girls Finals (0.76m)
- 15:55 400m Hurdles U-20 Girls Finals (0.76m)
- 16:05 400m Hurdles U-17 Boys Finals (0.84m)
- 16:15 400m Hurdles U-20 Boys Finals (0.91m)
- 16:20 MEDAL CEREMONY
- 16:25 Javelin Throw U-17 Boys Final (700g)
- 16:30 200m U-17 Girls Semi-Finals
- 16:35 Triple Jump U-17 Boys Final
- 16:40 200m U-17 Boys Semi-Finals
- 16:50 200m U-20 Girls Semi-Finals
- 17:00 200m U-20 Boys Semi-Final
- 17:10 800m Heptathlon Girls – Event 7
- 17:15 Pole Vault Open Division Boys Final
- 17:20 1500m Octathlon Boys – Event 8
- 17:30 MEDAL CEREMONY
- 17:40 3000m Open Division Girls Final
- 17:55 3000m U-17 Boys Final
- 18:10 MEDAL CEREMONY
- 18:20 4x100m Relay U-17 Girls Finals
- 18:30 4x100m Relay U-17 Boys Finals
- 18:40 4x100m Relay U-20 Girls Finals
- 18:50 4x100m Relay U-20 Boys Finals
