Smith, Representing U.S. Virgin Islands, Runs US#1 Time of 57.69 In The Bahamas

By Todd Grasley of DyeStat

Several athletes who reside in the United States were among the standouts at this year's 50th CARIFTA Games in The Bahamas. 

Montverde Academy FL junior Michelle Smith continued her tremendous season. Representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, Smith won both the 400-meter hurdles and 800 meters last year. Moving up to the U20 division this week was no challenge for Smith, who repeated in both events, starting with a gold medal and US#1 time of 57.69 in the 400-meter hurdles. The race was never even close, with a pair of Jamaicans, Tonyan Beckford and Alliah Baker finishing in second and third, respectively, with times of 58.94 and 59.55.

Smith was just shy of her Florida high school state record mark and personal best of 57.48 from the finals of the World U20 Championships last year in Cali, Colombia.

The versatile Smith also beat with fellow Florida standout Layla Haynes of IMG Academy in the 800 meters. Haynes is committed to the University of Florida. Smith led the race from the gun and crossed the line in  2:09.71. Haynes, who was in fourth coming off the curve with 100 meters to go, moved up to second and crossed the line in 2:11.90.

While Haynes wasn't quite able to get the victory in the 800 meters, the mid-distance standout who was also runner-up in that event last season, proved she can shine 1,500 meters as well. Much like the 800 race, Haynes, who was third in the 1,500 meters at last year's CARIFTA Games, used her closing speed to earn a medal. Representing Barbados, she used a 60-second closing lap to win in a new personal best time of 4:53.29 to edge out Jamaicans Kishay Rowe (4:53.79) and Jody Ann Mitchell (4:55.99).

While Haynes was dominating the distance events, her Ascenders teammate Davonte Howell was making his own noise in the sprints. A week after finishing runner-up at the Texas Relays in a personal best time of 10.29, and leading his 4x100 meter relay squad to a US#1 time, Howell won the U20 100 meters at CARIFTA in a time of 10.30, and added a gold medal for the Cayman Islands.

U20 Record Breaker Adaejah Hodge Sidelined 

Montverde Academy junior star Adaejah Hodge hoped to headline the CARIFTA Games, but instead the World U20 indoor record holder in the 200 meters was forced to watch from the sidelines with an injury. Hodge, who set the record at New Balance Nationals Indoor with a time of 22.33 seconds and competes for the British Virgin Islands was the reigning meet champion.

According to the BVIAA, “While preparing for competition Hodge experienced a slight ankle roll which caused some discomfort. Withdrawal from the events was done as a precaution from risking further injury.”

Hodge won the CARIFTA Games U17 100-meter and 200-meter titles in 2022 with sizzling times of 11.29 and 23.42.

Other Notable Performances: 

<< Two-time 1A state champion Brandon Pottinger of Florida won a share of the U-20 high jump. Pottinger, who is currently a freshman at the University of Tennessee and represented Jamaica at the meet, jumped 6 feet, 6.75 inches.

<< Montverde alumna Javonya Valcourt, a freshman at the University of Tennessee, was runner-up in the U-20 400 meters with a time of 52.42. The Bahamian accomplished the feat in front of a hometown crowd.

<< Montverde freshman Elisse Dickinson, coming off an exceptional relay performance at Florida Relays, finished fifth in the U-17 400 in 56.85.