#Carifta2023 | Smith-Band, Dunkley impressive headed into 200 semis

Jamaica’s Javourne Dunkley and Malique Smith-Band looked in imperious form headed into the semi-finals of the men’s under-20 200 metres this afternoon at the 50th Carifta Games taking place in Nassau, Bahamas.

Dunkley, running in heat two of the preliminary round, clocked 21.26 in a race he controlled from the moment he left the blocks.

Running a blinder of a curve, Dunkley went down the final hundred uncontested, with Bermuda’s Tucker Denver, 22.05, and Barbados’ Aragorn Straker, 22.06, the other qualifiers, well beaten.

Smith-Band looked just as dominant.

Running from lane eight in heat three, Smith-Band still managed to head into the final 100 metres ahead of the field, holding his form to clock 21.39 and finishing ahead of Grenada’s Rickyle Telamaque, 21.91, and Antigua and Barbuda’s Ajani Daley, 22.06, the other qualifiers from the heat.

In heat three there was disaster for 2022 100-metre bronze medallist, Zachary Evans of the Bahamas, who, second up to 180 metres, grimaced before fading to fourth in 22.44.

Dunkley and Smith-Band go into this afternoon’s semi-finals with the quickest qualification times.

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