 Welcome back to the Sports Max when we start things off with track and field. Jamaica once again dominated the medal table at the just concluded 51st staging of the Carifta Games held at the Easter weekend of the Kirani James Stadium in the Spice Isle of Grenada. Jamaica compiled 84 medals, 45 gold, 23 silver and 16 bronze. The Bahamas second with 34 medals, 9 gold, 13 silver and 12 bronze. TNT picked up 4 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze to finish the championship with the number 3 spot in the medal table. Host Grenada finished with 14 medals, 1 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze making them the only other country to reach double figures. The Guyanese finished 4th in the medal table as well. A total of 11 records were broken over the 3 day event. Here's a look at the record breakers and the events that they contested. The first record of the meet on Friday was achieved by the Antigone Malik Francis and the boys under 17 Javelin and there was a 400 meter on the 17 record as well for Nicole Bramwell the Jamaican who smashed Usain Bolt's record and a significant number of field events records there including Javante Smith, the boys shot put, the girls Javelin, Dori Rae Scott and the long jump for girls, Jané Degans who was the Austin Seely Award winner, triple jump winner, Jada Robinson of Jamaica, pole vault records for Jules and Roll from the Bahamas and Saint Lucia and for the boys pole vault with Brendan Vanderpool as well. So a lot of field events, records broken at the championship, Trinidad and Tobago's Jané Degans was named winner of the prestigious Austin Seely Award that honors the top performer at the 3 day meet. The 17 year old smashed the girls on the 20 long jump record during the morning session of Monday's final day and later returned to anchor the Twin Island Republic to a silver medal in the girls on the 24 by 400 relay. We are pleased to be joined on the phone by Sportsmax TV editor-in-chief and track and field analyst Layton Levy, Layton, welcome to the Sportsmax zone, great to have you on as usual. Hey Lance, how are you doing? Hi Maria, long time I haven't seen you guys but you know it's the circumstances. Yeah, well let's start with the fact that most of the records broken were in field events significantly at all pole vault and javelin marks achieved and this probably tells us something about the upsurge of non-track standards at the Carifta Games generally. Yeah, and it's across the board I think in the Caribbean, look at what has been happening in the last two decades or so Lance, the field events in the Caribbean have picked up tremendously. When you look at for example Anderson Peters who is from Grenada, the world champion and of course a perennial contender at a global level. You look at what has been happening in terms of the long jumps and the triple jumps in terms of what Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean are doing respectively. It's not really a surprise when you look at the throws for example where the Jamaica has had Travis Michael and Frederick Laker doing global, I mean contending at a global level. So what we're seeing across the Caribbean is a spread of the depth of talent that's emerging now and it's beginning to manifest itself at the Carifta Games level which is very encouraging indeed. Yeah, of course we've already established that even when we were previewing the games last week that there was very little chance of Jamaica being troubled as the top medal winning team. They have been doing so since 1985 on broken and again a solid performance from the Jamaicans but we are seeing a rise in some of the other countries challenging TNT and Bahamas over the past few decades have had their moments at the Carifta Games but I was particularly impressed Leighton with the Guyanese and the way they showed themselves up over the past three days in Grenada. Absolutely that's one of the things but before you mentioned that the best mentioned Trinidad and Tobago but because Mariah is on set but I think their performance this year has suggested that I think they finally are getting the things right at the N3 and Trinidad where Trinidad was one of those countries that has so much talent but has not been reflected at the Carifta level for a few years for them to end up with 27 medals and you know in many instances silver and a couple of gold medals as well it suggests that things are moving in the right direction in Trinidad finally and I hope it continues but from Guyanese clearly there is a plan of footing there and I think going forward I think given the issue with the elements of population and now the resources that Guyanese has at their disposal there could be a threat to the Jamaican dominance at the Carifta games in years to come. Those four gold medals were quality gold medals when you look at what Springer has done and of course Malacay lost in the 400s and the mixed relay is how impressive they were in the dominance in which they won that and of course Atalia Hicks and I hope our preference are first in right in the 100 meters it tells you that Guyanese beginning to put together a program that will make them a legitimate threat in the years to come and I was very impressed with their performances overall because not only they win gold medals but the standards at which those medals were achieved was extremely high indeed. Yeah very very impressive stuff from Guyanese there sometimes when we're talking on the zone lately you know I've always been telling Lance that I feel as if we need to figure out what's happening in Guyanese because it's not only in track and field they've really been excelling when it comes to football they've been excelling in cricket as well so of course sport on the whole in Ghana is on our eyes and I know we really just have to look forward to see what else the country produces so it's good for us as a Caribbean it's good competition by extension. Now back to Trinidad and Tobago because I want to hear your take on Janita Gans getting that Austin Silly award. I don't begrudge her the award but I think it could have gone to I mean there is no specific criteria for the award so I'm not going to complain about the guns winning that of course knockout on the 18 champion last year. She's clearly made a big step forward six meters 50 is the number three on the 20 jump in the world this year. But having said that Michelle Smith from the USVI or 56 26 in the in the tone in the four meter hurdles is also the number three time in the world on the 20 as well. And she also had the number 16 time in the eight hundred which she won. So I'm not going to begrudge Janita Gans because I think it's well deserved and of course based on what Austin Silly the man who the award is named after says you know who might argue with that. But I think that award that this year could have gone to anyone or perhaps two or three other athletes who were outstanding at the champions which actually speaks of the quality of the champions this year. But you know what this are for the good and the guns that I think it all goes well for for what looks like clearly a very solid career going forward. The six meters 50 is the best the world leader on the 20 level is six meters 66. She's not that far away. And given what we've seen from her past 60 of the past few years it suggests that she's her trajectory is moving the right direction. So this is this can only be an additional boost for her as she continues to progress in the sport. And I think what we see from her clearly has to be an inspiration for other traders and athletes. We've seen a number of them at the character of the character games this year. And I think it's time Trinidad start to show what they're truly capable of. And I think this could be the start of something good for Trinidad today. Yeah. Yeah. And late now quick word on the prestige associated with this honor because names like using bolt of course are Kirani James would have received this award. And it's so important for these youngsters to recognize the importance of the Austin City Award where the career games are concerned. Yes. Absolutely. I mean you forget your heartbreak as well. Yeah. You know there the list goes on further. The quality athletes who have gone on and won this award are usually gone on and transition into very successful senior careers. So this is this is not being a big big feather in the cap of Janet again. So I think you know it's again looking at recognizing the talent emerging from the Caribbean. And this award kind of pinpoints some of those athletes who usually go on to get the things of your member Brianna Williams went back to back awards a couple of years ago. And of course she'd gone on to become Olympic gold medalist and award champion of silver medalist in the release. So you know it's just another example of what this award means for those standing athletes of the character games. Right. And I want to focus a bit now on the Jamaican. So of course top the table. Nikoi Bram well shattering Usain Bolt's record in the under 17 400 meter and of course walking away with the gold as well. Your take your analysis and how he went about his business. Oh look Nikoi Bram well for me is actually one of my favorite athletes. He is an athlete that epitomizes confidence. And if you remember in the Bahamas last year where he after he won he said the Bahamas were talking too much which is one of the reasons why he produced the performance that he did. There was no that there wasn't much of that controversy this time around except for to talk about to make himself but you should be careful. He might wake the dragon and that's let's get back to Bramble. The thing is I think Nikoi Bramble has demonstrated that he is a talent and if he can stay healthy because he's had his injury issues over the years he will be a factor. When you look at how much sure his performances were both in the flat four and in the relays where he is strut is 400 strategies seems to be no that race pattern that race plan that he has is no cemented. And I think if he continues to progress at the rate at which he is progressing I mean you don't break your same boss record that has stood for 22 years. You know you know noticing that this kid is something special here and potentially can make that transition to the senior ranks where Jamaica finally seems to be getting back into its into its former years of having great 400 meter runs like I heard back here with Bertam and others. The reality is that this kid could go on to become something special for Jamaica as well. Antonio wants to of course be the latest product of World Champion the first in 40 years. But Nikoi Bramble I think has the talent and the mentality to be to make that eventual transition to the under 20 that the first of all and then eventually to the senior ranks. If he manages to stay healthy and manages to stay focused I think you know you don't appreciate the skies a little bit for this young. Yeah. You know we're going to discuss the character games in more detail on Wednesday show and Ricardo returns to the show. But I want quickly for you to make a few comments on a couple of athletes here and I'll start with the Devonte Howell. They came in and 100 meter champion Barbados born and came into the meet a little off color 10 5 is PR coming. Well he sees his best coming to to Grenada. But a victory in 10 1 5 to retain his title was smashing and he exuded a lot of quality in his victory. Yeah. And he said it. I mean he said I mean he was pretty much written off. But 10 1 5 is just four hundredth of a second outside. I used on Johan Blee's record which is 10 1 1 which has stood for a while now. So it tells you just how much quality this young man has. And of course if you remember last year he didn't get an opportunity to to you know put it this way. Having one last year you know coming into this year he wasn't. He wasn't perhaps the favorite to win. And for him to deliver that performance against a quality field including Jaden Reed and the youngster from Jamaica who both look very impressive in this in the semifinals. You know that he could deliver that performance against such quality because one of key things about championships you know is being able to produce the goods against the best of the best at that level. And that's exactly what he did. And he did it in impressive fashion. So I would very very impressive performance. Yeah pity that with K-man finishing one two in the 100 they weren't able to put together a quartet to challenge for the four by one one relay Leighton. But let's move quickly to the ladies because we spoke about them in general earlier on. But Athalia Hingston the 100 champion and Tiana Springer only 16 years old dominant in her four hundred and two hundred meter victories. Very very special talent is she. Oh yes absolutely. When you look at you know for Higston for example when she ran that two hundred meter final if you remember that three East was a heavy favorite and that three East had to fight tooth and nail just to get that win. It tells you about again the mentality winning at this level winning at any championship level requires a mental mental toughness a mental steel. And what you saw with this young lady that she believes that she could have won the two hundred regardless of the fact that she may or not have been the favorite. And she had she fourth East to be deeper than she probably has never done before. I've never done before. And you can see the talent is purely there. As for Springer look I would not be surprised to see this girl go to Rolanda 20 champions and do what she might not win. But she certainly will do Ghana proud. And I think in the years to come given the fact that she's only 16. You know she's she's still at the beginning stages of her physical development. And I'm looking to see what she can do in the next two to three years. Should she remain healthy. Because clearly when you when you when you destroy Shania Douglas the way you did in the four hundred meters and go on to win quite comfortably. And of course speaks to that confidence afterwards. You know you can tell that this is young lady who was a lot a lot in store. And it's a very special talent coming out of Ghana. I hope that she finds a proper program to transition into eventually and because if she gets the right coaching and the right management that keeps her focused she's going to be a talent to look forward to in two or three years senior level. Yeah. And what we just looked at was her two hundred meter win was it. Her four hundred meter victory also displayed Layton a lot of quality in her in her strategy in the race because the two Jamaicans had come out of the semifinals looking strong. But they they were they I think they burnt themselves out the first two hundred and fifty meters. And what was impressive about Springer is that she was a phase down the back stretch when they went away from her. She relaxed and kept her composure. And when she came storming at the field in the final in the home stretch there was no one who could hold her off. So that told me that even though she's in her first year as a senior from Curve the Game Standards she has the mental capacity to to to do well at crunch time. Yeah. She trusted her real strategy. She made her move about one hundred and twenty meters to go in. Duckry and of course Douglas looked like they were going to win a Jamaican one two. And she turned into perfection. And it tells you that she trusted her strategy. She knew what her race plan was. We speak to the maturity of the athlete as well because you find yourself five to ten yards behind people. The two that people thought were going to be probably the first to the one two for Jamaica and then to storm past them with such comfort. They look at how she held her form and her composure going through and in the last 50 meters it tells you that this girl believes in her talent and she believes in her strategy and she knew exactly what she needed to do to win this race. And she pulled up the execution perfectly. So it's one of the reasons why I was very interested in performance. And when you look at how she ran in the mixed relays as well. It speaks to how this young lady knows what she's capable of. And she doesn't care who is running against her. She believes she can better them. And that's exactly what she did at these champions. I was very impressed with her. As I said before I hope that she finds the right right people around her in the years to come. Yeah. Because it's easy to get distracted at this level. Yeah really really special talent there. I want to comment quickly as well on the Bahamians who had sent messages in the past week that they're coming to cause some trouble and did because they won a lot of medals and there were quite a few record performances as well including Scott in the in the Javelin. And yeah there was a role in the pole vault as well. And they had a few record performances. So the Bahamians as they usually do at the Carifter games made a point that you know the Jamaicans cannot continue to just sit comfortably and things fall in their lap. Yeah and this was an improved performance from a last year and year before as well. So this would be very encouraging for for the B3 is there. And I think when you look at your race got 52 first over 50 meters at this level at Carifter you know you look at the young sir who won the high job. He did that again Bahamas has always produced talent. I think outside of Jamaica they probably have the best program there in terms of developing the young athletes. And I think what we saw from them suggests that you know in the years to come I mean you know the 300,000 people living in the Bahamas and for them to continue to produce the level of talent at this level consistently. That tells you how good a nation they are in terms of the program that they have because one of the things you know I tell people all the time and they they scoff at it but they look at it per capital. They actually outperformed Jamaica at Carifter and at the global level as well because for 300,000 people compared to almost three million from Jamaica they continue to produce world-class athletes right throughout the year. That's you know Tali Davis the Beckford's the Williams Darling the of course you know Stephen Gardner and of course at this level they continue to produce these talents coming through. You can never overlook the Bahamas and I think they have done a good thing there in keeping their athletes in a proper program proper structure that continue to deliver the talent that born this talent bringing it through. It would be nice though just to see a few more of them coming through at the global level. But no it's 300,000 people. I don't think you can ask so much more from the Bahamas. Yeah I agree with you 100 percent they are late and thanks for linking with us and as we said we will continue our discussion on the Carifter Games three days of real world-class competition in the Spice Isle from Saturday through to Monday and we'll continue the discussion on Wednesday. Thanks Leighton we'll talk again soon I'm sure. Take it easy guys. Bye Leighton. Yeah and we have a lot more to come on the Sportsmax zone on the other side of the break back with us.