If you grew up around Caribbean Islands, probably should heard many stories revolving around famous athletics festival CARIFTA Games. If you did not - and consider yourself a track fan, probably could be missed something big.
The Games have produced great sprinting champions from its start in 1972. Even mostly remembered with 2004 edition where Usain Bolt smashed 200 metres world U20 record by 19.93 secs, there were happened some other delightful races around the old-fashioned island tracks. We just listed some of them below.
1986: GILLIAN FORDE - 200m - 23.14
Trinidad's utterly talented sprinter cracked Debbie Jones' long-standing sub 23.5 mark in 1986 CARIFTA Games. 19 year-old Los Angeles Olympian secured back-to-back titles in both sprints that year, but her 200m winning mark was fabulous: 23.14. Forde's 200m U20 record stood for 22 years which finally broken in 2008.
1998: RANEIKA BEAN - 100m, 11.28
Bermuda's 15-year old hopeful Raneika Bean caused a surprise win at the 1998 Games. She clocked 11.28 in the heats, better than U20 event record as well, then secured gold medal in the final with 11.96. Her superb 11.28 is still standing U18 CARIFTA record after 24 years, additionally non-ratified Bermuda all-time senior best. (Bermudan Federation were not ratified the mark due to no wind measurement)
2002: DARREL BROWN - 100m, 10.22
Trinidadian Brown is the only man who won five 100 metres in CARIFTA, also the only athlete to have U20 three-peat in same distance. In 2002, he destroyed Bahamian sensation Grafton Ifill in eagerly-waited 100m final by clocking 10.22 championships record, 0.02 better from past year. Brown's winning margin (0.38 secs) was one of the biggest in event history.
2002: ANNEISHA McLAUGHLIN - 200m, 23.02
Considered amongst greatest junior performers of all-time, Anneisha McLaughlin collected 10 golds in her six-year stint at CARIFTA Games. But her most impressive title came in 2002: She recorded 23.02 in 200 metres heat, the best mark produced ever including all-ages (bested even U20 mark from Forde). The Jamaican sprint queen nearly duplicated her record-breaking mark at the same day despite 1.3 m/sec head-wind in the final: 23.04.
2004: USAIN BOLT - 200m, 19.93
Then already eye-catched Jamaican future superstar spectacularly won 200 metres final more than one second ahead over highly talented rivals Daniel Bailey (Antigua) and Nesta Carter (Jamaica). He had cut his own championships record exactly half a second from one year ago as lowered junior world record below 20 seconds first-time, which remained until 2021.
2007: YOHAN BLAKE - 100m, 10.11
The 17-year old Jamaican up-and-comer stunned everybody in the Games held in Turks and Caicos Islands. He strongly signalled about his future World title out there when cracking Darrel Brown's championships best by 0.11 margin! Yohan Blake's fast and furious mark is still standing as CARIFTA record.
2010: KIRANI JAMES - 400m, 45.02
Just couple of years before his sensational Olympic win in London, Grenada's super talent Kirani James has performed remarkably at CARIFTA Games. James, who lowered Bolt's previous 400m record mark 0.9 seconds one year before, ran outstanding race as clocked 45.02.
2013: SHAUNAE MILLER - 200m, 22.77
One of the brightest products of the CARIFTA, Shaunae Miller clocked first-ever sub-23 200 metres mark at the Games. As she complete to 200-400 double in her hometown Nassau, the stands were crazed in 200 metres duel between Shaunae and Jamaican rival, Shericka Jackson. The Jamaican, also 11-time CARIFTA winner herself, pushed hard to the tall Bahamian until very last inch of finish line. In the result sheet, these two stunning young talents seperated by only 0.07 seconds.
