Bermuda’s medal tally at the 53rd Carifta Games has doubled following a heroic performance on the track by Sanchez Smith during a humid second evening of competition at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium.
Competing in the grueling Under-17 Boys 3000m final, Smith produced a tactical masterclass to secure Bermuda’s second medal of the championships. In a race defined by a punishing early pace and the tactical maneuvering typical of Caribbean distance running, Smith remained tucked within the leading pack for much of the contest. As the bell rang for the final lap, the young Bermudian found an extra gear, surging ahead of his rivals to claim a magnificent silver medal in a time of 9:22.24. The result provides a significant boost to the island’s track contingent and reinforces Bermuda's growing reputation in middle-distance events.
In the Open Girls 3000m final, Brooklyn Myers delivered a spirited performance against an elite field featuring some of the region's most established distance stars. Navigating the twelve-and-a-half laps with consistent splits, Myers crossed the finish line in seventh place with a time of 10:56.07. Her ability to maintain a high tempo in the heavy evening air of St. George’s highlights her potential as she continues to develop on the regional stage.
The middle-distance preliminary heats earlier in the session proved to be a stern test for Bermuda’s 800m specialists. In the Under-17 Girls division, Riana Robinson fought hard in a congested field to finish 12th overall, stopping the clock in 2:28.76. It was a similar story in the Under-17 Boys 800m, where Nazir Johnson showcased his endurance in a high-speed qualification round. Johnson also secured a 12th-place finish, recording a respectable time of 2:02.32 in a session where the qualifying standard was remarkably high.
While the 800m runners missed out on the final berths, the night belonged to Sanchez Smith. His silver medal, coming on the back of Miles Outerbridge’s historic gold, ensures that Bermuda heads into the final days of competition with significant momentum and a growing haul of silverware.
