‘Wonder Girl’ Tianna ‘springs’ Gold for Guyana

Apr 09, 2023 Sports

– Roberts takes silver, Booker grabs bronze on eventful CARIFTA Games day one

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur News – It was nothing short of a superhero performance from Guyanese athletes on Day One of the 50th CARIFTA Games in the Bahamas yesterday, especially those forced to head straight to the track from the airport.

The story of Guyana’s CARIFTA Games athletes and how some even became contenders for a medal is one straight out of a storybook; a story of determination, fighting off adversities and even being asked to do the virtually impossible under their circumstances.

GOLDEN GIRL! Tianna Springer after receiving her gold medal for the girls U17 400m. (Newsroom photo)

When the dust settled and the noise about who is to be blamed for a mishap that could’ve cost Guyana a gold medal, the Guyanese athletes strapped on their capes and placed the huge ‘S’ on their chest, and took the track.

Tianna Springer (400m U17 girls), Adessa Albert (100m U17 Girls), Malachi Austin (400m U17 Boys), Narissa McPherson (400m U20 Girls), Ezekiel Newton (100 U20 Boys) and Omar James (400m U20 Boys) were forced to run the qualifying round ‘against the clock’ after a mishap with a connecting flight from Cuba on Friday evening, saw them arrive way past the time for their event in the morning session of Day One.

Except for James and McPherson, the other athletes booked places in the semi-finals and finals.

SENSATIONAL TIANNA GOLD!

While all the athletes produced performances that were nothing short of sensational, it was Tianna Springer’s Gold medal performance which left the spectators at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau in awe and the Guyanese athlete receiving a standing ovation.

Tianna Springer powers from behind to win the girls U17 400m. (Newsroom photo)

Kaieteur News understands that countries whose athletes were displaced after Springer made the qualifying time needed, launched a protest, forcing race officials and organisers to have the Women’s U17 400m done in two groups, where the winner will be the athlete that posts the fastest time.

Seon Booker with his bronze medal from the Boys U20 1500m. (Newsroom photo)

Javon Roberts was second in the Boys U17 1500m. (Newsroom photo)

Tianna then registered 54.32 seconds to win her race in a come-from-behind performance. Her time was better than Jody-Ann Daily of Jamaica (54.81s), who had to settle for silver and St Kitts and Nevis’ De’cheynelle Thomas (55.46s).

Javon Roberts also had to produce a herculean effort to finish second in the Boys U17 1500m, running four minutes, 13.63s (4:13.63).

Belize’s Demetire Myers won the race in a time of 4:11.19. Third place went to Joel Morgan of Jamaica 4:13.82.

Seon Booker had a bronze medal performance in the Boys U20 1500m with his time of four minutes, 08.38s (4:08.38) saw him giving Guyana its third medal on opening day.

Attoya Harvey was visibly tired, and her 4:58.64 time was just good enough for fourth place. Harvey won gold in the event last year in Jamaica.

Ezekiel Newton had a heart-breaking false start in the Boys U20 100m semi-finals; this was after the promising sprinter coasted to 10.60s in his qualifying round, which was the second-fastest time in the qualifiers.

Wesley Nobel, after impressing in the qualifying round, placed 5th in the Boys U20 400m, running 48.45s.

Malachi Austin (49.55s) and Dejuan Austin (49.75s) were fifth and sixth respectively in the 400m of the Boys U17, while Athaleyah Hinckson (12.12s) was seventh in the Girls U17 100m finals.

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Bahamas, CARIFTA, Games, Malachi Austin, Thomas A. Robinson Stadium

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