MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico (CMC) – Jamaica’s distance relay team set a new Central American and Caribbean Games record as they captured one of three gold medals for the powerhouses on Friday evening.

Running on the penultimate day of competition, they won the 4×400 metres relay in a time of three minutes, 01.68, to finish ahead of the Bahamas who clocked a season-best 3:01.82.

Trinidad and Tobago claimed bronze in another season-best time of 3:04.07.

The Jamaican team of Oral Thompson, Leford Green, Roxroy Cato and Allodin Fothergill eclipsed the record of 3:01.78 set by their fellow countrymen four years ago in Colombia.

Their women followed suit in the corresponding event, clocking 3:32.31 to claim gold and finish ahead of Colombia who clocked 3:33.03 to be second.
Jamaica’s third gold medal came when Maurice Smith won the men’s decathlon, capturing two of the five events to march to 8 109 points.

The 29-year-old Smith, the reigning Pan American Games champion, snatched the men’s 110m hurdles in 14.64 seconds and then returned to win the 1500m.

He finished second in the discus and pole vault while claiming third spot in the javelin to continue to rack up points.

Bahamian Donald Thomas was not to be left out, stealing gold in the men’s high jump with a leap of 2.28 metres.

The 26-year-old, a former World champion following his conquests in Osaka three years ago, finished ahead of compatriot Trevor Barry who also measured 2.28 metres.

Trinidadian Rhonda Watkins leapt 6.67 metres to win the women’s long jump, with Jamaican Jovanee Jarrett second with 6.52 and Bahamian Bianca Stuart third with 6.50m.