TT’s De Gannes wins the prestigious Austin Sealey Award.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaenae De Gannes won the Austin Sealey Award at the 51st CARIFTA Games, which ended on Monday in Grenada.
The 17-year-old smashed the Girls U20 long jump record during the morning session on Monday before returning to anchor T&T to a silver medal in the Girls U20 4x400m relay.
The award, given to the best athlete at the CARIFTA Games, was named after Sir Austin Sealy, who set the Games in motion.
De Gannes joins a long list of outstanding athletes to have won the award, including Usain Bolt, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Yohan Blake, and Kirani James.
Jehue Gordon and Darrel Brown are among the Trinidad and Tobago athletes to have won the award previously.
Trinidad and Tobago had a bumper day on the final day of competition, winning three gold medals among 12 medals won on the final day.
De Gannes’ brilliant record-breaking performance in the long jump and Keneisha Shelbourne’s bronze in the Girls U20 High Jump were two medals won in the morning session on Monday.
T&T added 10 medals in the afternoon session with Jenna-Marie-Thomas setting the ball rolling with a silver medal in the Girls U17 100m Hurdles (13.74).
Following that, Keeran Sriskandarajah won a bronze medal in the Boys U20 800m in 1:52.91.
Trinidad and Tobago then added two more medals in the 200m sprints.
First, Kadeem Chinapoo defeated a quality field to take gold in the Boys U17 200m, clocking 21.78 seconds.
In the next race, Sole Frederick took the silver medal in the Girls U20 200m in 23.07 with her sister and defending champion Sanaa finishing down the field.
Trinidad and Tobago then won its third gold medal of the day when Tafari Waldron successfully defended his Boys U20 5000m title with a winning time of 15:01.60.
Teammate Omari Thompson took the bronze in the same event (16:03.43) as T&T went 1-3 in the 5,000m.
Trinidad and Tobago closed off the Games by medaling in all four 4×400 relay races.
First, the team of Kyah Hyson, Tenique Vincent, Shian Lewis, and Jenna-Marie Thomas got the bronze medal in the Girls U17 4x400m relay in 3:54.49.
The Boys U17 relay team then went one better with Makaelan Woods, Shezlon Gordon, Michal Paul, and Khordae Lewis combining to win silver in the Boys U17 4x400m relay (3:21:24).
Two more silver medals followed in the U20 4x400m relay races.
First, Kaori Robley, Saana Frederick, Kaziah Peters, and Jaenae De Gannes finished second in the Girls U20 race in 3:47.51.
The Boys U20 team then took silver after the race was controversially re-run.
When the dust cleared, Keone John, Jaden Clement, Dashaun Lezama, and Kyrell Thomas took the silver medal with a time of 3:11.10.
Trinidad and Tobago ended with a tally of 28 medals, including four gold medals, 12 silver medals, and 12 bronze medals.
The 2024 edition of the CARIFTA Games opened on Saturday at the Kirani James Stadium in Grenada.
Trinidad and Tobago won 25 medals at the 2023 CARIFTA Games in Nassau, Bahamas.
T&T won 9 gold, 10 silver, and 12 bronze medals in the Bahamas.
2024 CARIFTA Medalists
Day 1
Peyton Winter – silver – Girls U17 Shot Put – 14.21 meters
Keneisha Shelbourne – silver – Girls U20 Triple Jump – 12.49 meters
Kadeem Chinapoo – silver – Boys U17 100m – 10.59 seconds
Tyrique Vincent – silver – Boys U17 long jump
Tenique Vincent – bronze – Girls U17 High Jump – 1.68 meters
Kayleigh Forde – bronze – Girls U20 1500m – 4:41.71 minutes
Shian Lewis – bronze – Girls U17 1500m – 4:48.58 minutes
Day 2
Che Wickham, Mikhail Byer, Hakeem Chinapoo, Dylan Woodroofe – gold – Boys U20 4x100m – 40:45 seconds
Cameron Nathaniel-Powell, Hakeem Chinapoo, Shane Camejo, and Kaeden Herbert – Silver – Boys U17 4x100m relay – 41.53 seconds
Symphony Patrick, Saana Frederick, Sole Frederick, Alexxe Henry – silver – Girls 4x100m relay – 44.43
Jeremiah Francis – silver – Boys Open Javelin Throw – 48.88m
Jenniah McLaren, Ziah Tobias, Makayla Cupid, and Tianna Richardson – Bronze – Girls U17 4x100m relay – 47.49 seconds
Dorian Charles – Bronze – Boys U20 400m hurdles – 52.70 seconds
Jenna-Marie Thomas – Bronze – GU17 400m hurdles – 1:01.03 seconds
Tyrique Vincent – Bronze – B U17 high jump – 1.90m
Isaiah Alder – Bronze – Boys U17 3000m – 9:29.35.
Day 3
Janae De Gannes – Gold – Girls U20 Long Jump – 6.50 meters
Kadeem Chinapoo – Gold – Boys U17 200m – 21.78 seconds
Tafari Waldron – Gold – Boys U20 5000m – 15:01.60
Jenna-Marie-Thomas – Silver – Girls U17 100m Hurdles – 13.74
Sole Frederick – silver – Girls U20 200m – 23.07
Makaelan Woods, Shezlon Gordon, Michal Paul, Khordae Lewis – Silver – Boys U17 4x400m relay – 3:21:24
Kaori Robley, Saana Frederick, Kaziah Peters, Jaenae De Gannes – Silver – Girls U20 4x400m relay – 3:47.51
Keone John, Jaden Clement, Dashaun Lezama, Kyrell Thomas – Silver – Boys U20 4x400m relay – 3:11.10
Keeran Sriskandarajah – Bronze – Boys U20 800m – 1:52.91
Keneisha Shelbourne – Bronze – Girls U20 High Jump – 1.70m
Omari Thompson – Bronze – Boys U20 5000m – 16:03.43
Kyah Hyson, Tenique Vincent, Shian Lewis, Jenna-Marie Thomas – Bronze – Girls U17 4x400m relay – 3:54.49.
Photo: Janae De Gannes celebrates her gold medal in the Girls U20 Long Jump with a new record of 6.50 meters. (Photo credit – NAAATT)