Toppa Top 10: The Baddest Caribbean Sprinters Under Twenty

Words by Erin Hansen-McKnight

The the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, the 2015 Penn Relays, starts tomorrow and with it will be a gamut of fiery junior competitors from the Caribbean that are crushing previous records on an international level. With Usain Bolt predicting his last summer Olympics in 2016, we turned to the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Foundation) to see who is breaking ground in sprinting for the 100, 200 and 400 Metre sprints and the 110m, 100 and 400 Metre hurdles in the Caribbean Juniors (under twenty) and Youth (under eighteen) categories.

With so many excellent junior athletes pushing the boundaries in track and field, it was a rough go to try and compile a list of the ten best, and for what it’s worth, these titles could change in an instant once the Penn Finals are ablaze this week. After much thought and observation of 2014/2015 competitions, times and current titles, we broke down the Toppa Top Ten baddest Caribbean sprinters under twenty right now. Look closely nuh, because nuff of dem will be grabbing gold at the Olympics in coming years.

10. Javan Martin, Bahamas

Name: Javan Martin
Country: Bahamas
Age: 17
Stats: Hailing from the Bahamas, Javan “Fifty” Martin currently places 1st internationally in the Youth division for his 100M sprint in 10.41 seconds. He will also compete in the 2nd IAAF World Relays in May in the Men’s 4 x 100M and 4 x 200M relays.

9. Dawnalee Loney, Jamaica

Name: Dawnalee Loney
Country: Jamaica
Age: 18
Stats: This young sprinter solidified her 1st place international standing in the Juniors division when she ran 400M in 52.78 seconds at Jamaica’s Champs Competition in March.

8. Tia-Adana Belle, Barbados

Name: Tia-Adana Belle
Country: Barbados
Age: 18
Stats: Like a bawse, Bajan Tia-Adana Belle, took the title of Junior Champion of the 400M hurdles, and knocked down Jamaica’s Junelle Bromfield to 2nd, with her 58.01 second compete in Gainsville, Fl earlier this month. Belle’s personal best stands at 57.58 for the 400 metre hurdles in 2014.

7. Rivaldo Leacock, Barbados

Name: Rivaldo Leacock
Country: Barbados
Age: 16
Stats: At only 16 years old, Bajan Rivaldo Leacock is leading the Youth division in 400M hurdles with a 51.34 second compete.

6. Christopher Taylor, Jamaica

Name: Christopher Taylor
Country: Jamaica
Age: 15
Stats: Christopher Taylor wowed the Champs crowd in March when he ran the 400M in 45.69 seconds. His current placement internationally is 3rd in the Juniors division and 1st in the Youth division. To put this into perspective, Taylor broke Usain Bolt’s thirteen year old 400M record of 47.33 in the under 18 boys division. That is massive.

5. Junelle Bromfield, Jamaica

Name: Junelle Bromfield
Country: Jamaica
Age: 17
Stats: To be able to say that you place first internationally in any an event is exceptional. To be able to place two times in both sprinting and hurdles is an incredible feat. Hailing from the Jamaican countryside (right next door to Bolt’s Trelawny parish) St. Elizabeth Technical High student, Junelle Bromfield, holds the current Youth division champion title for both the 400M sprint at 53.30 secs and 400M hurdles at 58.13 seconds.

4. Mario Burke, Barbados

Name: Mario Burke
Country: Barbados
Age: 18
Stats: In the undeniably exciting 100M competition category, Bajan Mario Burke just barely missed the Junior record for 100M when he ran it in 10.21 seconds at the Silver Jubilee in early April. He is currently ranked in 1st place internationally for the under twenty division.

3. Akeem Bloomfield, Jamaica

Name: Akeem Bloomfield
Country: Jamaica
Age: 17
Stats: Akeem Bloomfield shattered the Caribbean 400M record in the Junior division when he ran it in 44.93 seconds. While he currently ranks 2nd internationally, he holds the record locally, beating both Javon Francis’ 45.00 second Junior division record and Usain Bolt’s previous Junior division 400M record of 45.35 seconds.

2. Michael O’Hara, Jamaica

Name: Michael O’Hara
Country: Jamaica
Age: 18
Stats: Michael O’Hara is nothing less than a power house sprinter. He is currently placed in three categories internationally in the Junior division! Coming in 3rd internationally for both the 100M sprint for his 10.23 second run and the 110M hurdles for a 13.49 second complete, O’Hara managed to also take 1st place for Juniors in the 200M when he finished in 20.59 seconds. Bolt currently holds the Junior title for 200M with 19.93 seconds.

1. Jaheel Hyde, Jamaica

Name: Jaheel Hyde
Age: 17
Country: Jamaica
Stats: Jaheel Hyde has had a remarkable Junior Champion career to date. Dubbed “Superhuman” by his peers, this young athlete broke the 110M (91.4cm) hurdles last year when he clocked a 12:96, smashing the title of Frenchman Wilheim Belocian by 0.16 seconds. In 2015, he’s maintained his 1st place standing in the Junior division with his 13.22 time in the 110M (99.0cm) hurdles. It doesn’t stop there. Hyde, who is currently 1st place nationally in the Junior 400M hurdles, broke Jamaica’s Junior record for the 400M hurdles when he ran it at Champs in March in 49.01 seconds.