Caribbean Sports Roundup

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 9, 2019: Here are the top stories making Caribbean sports news for the week ending, Aug. 9, 2019:

Caribbean Athletes Shine In Lima

Caribbean athletes are among those shining brightly at the Pan-American Games in Lima this week. Cuba leads the medal count for the region with 51 medals.

Nicholas Paul and Njianse Philip became just the third cycling teammates in history to win the gold and the silver medals in the Men’s Sprint competition at the Pan American Games.

The islanders showed that their incredibly hard work to develop and attract cycling talent to the country has paid off, now celebrating their first two gold medals in Track Cycling in their history at Pan Am Games.

In athletics, Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson comfortably won the 100-m title in 11.18. Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye was second in 11.27.

In the men’s 100-m title Antigua and Barbuda’s Cejhae Greene came third in 10.23.

Jamaica’s Natoya Goule took the women’s 800-m title in 2:01.26 while Cuba’s Rose Mary Almanza was second in 2:01.64.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Tyra Gittens leads the heptathlon with 3766 points after clocking 13.63 in the 100-m hurdles, clearing 1.83m in the high jump, throwing 13.43m in the shot put and running 24.19 in the 200m while Cuba’s Adriana Rodríguez was second with 3730 points.

And Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarría brought the men’s long jump title back to Cuba. The world indoor champion found a tough opponent in Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle.

The 20-year-old Echevarría opened with 8.09m, but Gayle responded with 8.17m in round two. Echevarría jumped 8.06m in round three, while Gayle recorded 8.10m. In the fourth round, however, the Cuban leapt to 8.27m, which proved sufficient to win as Gayle fouled his last three attempts.  The last Cuban to win the Pan-Am Games long jump title was multiple world champion Iván Pedroso, who won his third consecutive Pan-Am title in 2003.

Müller Grand Prix Birmingham

Jamaican hurdler Danielle Williams is among those set for the Müller Grand Prix Birmingham, the 11th stop on the IAAF Diamond League on August 18th.

Williams will face world record-holder and world indoor champion Kendra Harrison as part of a world-class 100m hurdles field. Her personal best at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London was the winning time in the final – 12.32. It is also a Caribbean record and the fastest time in the world this year.

Jamaica’s NCAA champion Janeek Brown is also part of the field.

West Indies

The West Indies were saved by the rain Thursday in the first One Day International (ODI) match up against India at Providence, Guyana. The Windies batted first and reached 54 for one before officials called off the game.

Chris Gayle made just four runs on his 299th ODI appearance for West Indies, matching Brian Lara’s one-day appearance record.

Gayle will have the chance to atone for his disappointing display in the second match of the three-game series on Sunday.

The Windies has lost all three T20 International matches against the visiting side.