Imanni Matthew of Kaizen Panthers led the gold rush for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2023 North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under 18 & Under 23 Track and Field Championships at the Estadio Nacional, San Jose, Costa Rica on Sunday, the final day of competition.

Matthew captured the Boys under 18 long jump title with a leap of 7.71 metres. The Form four student of Bishop High School improved the meet record and also the national under-18 and under-17 records. His winning distance in the second round after fouling his first effort was recorded at 7.41 metres in the fifth round which was also superior to the silver medallist Andrew Stone of the Cayman Islands in 7.36 metres.

Another T&T athlete Andrew Steele copped bronze with 7.30 metres.

Matthew added the NACAC gold to the Carifta Boys under 17 long jump title he won in the Bahamas in April.

Gianna Paul of Concorde and Peyton Winter of Burnley were also winners.

Paul landed the Girls Under 18 Heptathlon title on Saturday and led a 1-2 finish for T&T as her Club-mate Tenique Vincent secured the silver medal.

Paul completed the seven events with 4618 points with Vincent tallying 4600 pts. Costa Rican Mariangel Nunez was third with 4069 points.

Paul returned later in the evening to take her second gold when she helped T&T to win the Girls Under 18 4×100 metres relay gold medal.

Long jump gold medallist Janae De Gannes, Symphony Patrick and Akira Malaver teamed up with Paul to clock 45.99 seconds to finish ahead of Bahamas, who clocked 46.43 seconds and Puerto Rico finished third in 46.49 seconds.

Paul’s double golden efforts came despite battling a swollen right knee on her way to Costa Rica. She was treated by physiotherapist Anthony Walcott, who ensured that she was able to compete.

Also on Saturday, Winter topped the Girls Under 18 Shot put contest with a throw of 14.53 metres. The 15-year-old dominated the field with four of her five efforts recorded as legal (12.72m, 14.53m, x, 14.43m, 13.87m, and 13.43m) would have won her the title.

The 2023 Carifta Girls Under 17 silver medallist finished head of Annae Mackey of the Bahamas (13.09m) and Cayman Islands’ Mikayla Brown (12.65m).

The Boys Under 18 4×100 metres relay quartet of Khadeem Ryan, Kadeem Chinapoo, Trevaughn Stewart and Andrew Steele edged out Jamaica to win the gold medal with. T&T crossed the line in 41.14 seconds, some 0.04 hundredths of seconds ahead of Jamaica with the Bahamas third to secure the bronze medal.

Akira Malaver of Simplex and Keneisha Shelbourne of Oasics left Costa Rica with three medals each.

Malaver and Shelbourne were part of the T&T bronze medal Mixed Under 18 4×400 metres relay outfit on Friday. Malaver then collected gold in the Girls Under 18 4×100 metres relay squad and also won silver in the Girls Under 18 400 metres event in 55.77 seconds.

Shelbourne finished second in the Girls Under 18 High jump event on Sunday with 1.71 metres clearance after securing double bronze on Friday in the Girls Under 18 400 metres hurdles and Mixed Under 18 4×400 metres relay run.

Jaidi James, the Women’s Under 23 4×100 metres relay squad and the Boys Under 18 4×400 metres team earned bronze medals.

James cleared 1.95m for third in the Boys Under 18 high jump event on Saturday. The 2023 Jamaica High Schools Boys champion finished just ahead of compatriot Kaleb Campbell of Kaizen Panthers in fourth place after an effort of 1.85 metres.

Campbell returned on Sunday to help T&T to finish third in the Boys Under 18 4×400 metres. He joined Khadeem Ryan, Cheyne West and Keeran Sriskandarajah to clocked three minutes and 26.81 seconds as Jamaica won gold ahead of Bahamas.

Women’s Under 23 100m silver medallist Leah Bertrand along with Reneisha Andrews, Shaniqua Bascombe andTaejha Badal combined to clock 45.50 seconds to take the bronze in the Women’s Under 23 4×100 metres.

USA sped to gold in a meet record of 42.74 seconds with Jamaica in second in 43.30 seconds.

Mathew, De Gannes, Paul, Shelbourne, Malaver and James will lead the list of local athletes expected to represent T&T at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games that will be hosted in Trinidad and Tobago from August 4-11.

However, Winter, Malaver and Vincent will not be eligible for selection as they are all 15 years of age which is below the 16-year minimum age requirement to compete.

Trinidad and Tobago finished the three-day meet in fifth place in the medal standings with 23 medals (six gold, seven silver and ten bronze). USA topped the table with 47 meals (23, 16, 8). Jamaica was second with 32 (13, 14, 5) and Canada third with 28 (12, 10, 6).

The national delegation is schedule to return home at around 1:00 am on Tuesday.