CAC Games …
MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico (CMC) – Churandy Martina smashed a 28-year-old record as he won the 200 metres on Tuesday night to complete the treasured sprint double at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games. The 26-year-old from the Netherlands Antilles clocked 20.25 to reach the line first, ahead of Jamaican Rasheed Dwyer who ran a personal best 20.49 to be second and Trinidadian Rondel Sorillo who was third in 20.59.
In the process, Martina dismantled Cuban Leandro Penalvert’s longstanding record of 20.42 which had stood since 1982.
However, the new mark was way outside his personal best of 20.08 set in Switzerland earlier this month.
Martina’s success comes after he also won the 100 metres earlier this week to defend the title he also won in Colombia four years ago.
Meanwhile, Cayman Islands’ Cydonie Mothersill strolled to victory in the women’s 200 metres, clocking 22.91 seconds to comfortably win the event.
Puerto Rico’s Carol Rodríguez was second in 23.37 with Colombia’s Darlenis Obregon third in 23.76.
Mothersill had earlier broken the four-year-old meet record of 22.76 seconds when she stormed to victory in the first semi-final in a time of 22.69 seconds.
Jamaica swept the 400 metres hurdles, winning both the men’s and women’s editions in fine style.
Leford Green was in record-breaking form, clocking a pacy 48.47 seconds to erase fellow Jamaican Dinsdale Morgan’s12-year-old record of 48.87.
Javier Culson of Puerto Rico followed him home in 48.58 while Mexico’s Roxroy Cato was third in 49.62.
Nickiesha Wilson took the women’s equivalent in 55.40, finishing ahead of Mexico’s Zudikey Rodriguez (55.54) and Trinidadian Janeil Belleile whose 56.81 was a personal best.
There were also gold medals for Jamaica in the field events as Jason Morgan won the men’s discus with a throw of 59.43 metres, Kimberley Williams captured the women’s triple jump with a personal best measurement of 14.23 metres and Kateema Riettie threw the javelin 53.77 metres.