Janae De Gannes earns Commonwealth Youth Games long jump silver

JANAE De Gannes continued her stellar form of late claiming TT’s first medal in athletics when she copped a silver medal in the women’s long jump when the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games continued on Monday.

Sanaa Frederick added a bronze medal in the women’s 100m final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain for TT.

De Gannes, who broke the NACAC Under-18 meet record last month with a 6.11-metre effort, copped silver in front of her home fans with a 6.07m jump on her second attempt.

Many of De Gannes’s TT team-mates positioned themselves close to the long jump pit cheering her on during all six rounds. De Gannes’s other jumps were 6.06m, 5.92m, 5.86m, 5.91m and 5.84m. Australian Delta Amidzovski did not only win gold but broke the meet record. She sealed gold with a 6.22m jump on her fourth attempt, before breaking the 12-year record with a massive 6.34m leap on her sixth and final jump. Jazmin Sawyers held the record of 6.27m since 2011. Aussie Grace Krause took bronze with a best effort of 6.01m.

Speaking to the media, De Gannes said, “My parents are here and it is really a great feeling to see the support when I needed it, so I am really grateful to compete in front a home crowd.

“I am satisfied. This is my time. Not everything will go the way you want it, but I am grateful for what I did today and all I could do is thank God.”

Amidzovski said, “The Trinidad fans are amazing they definitely get behind everyone.”

Amidzovski said she did not make any adjustments to her technique when she broke the record.

Frederick, a 2023 Carifta medallist like De Gannes, eased to victory in semi-final two of the women’s 100m event in 11.56 to book a place in the final.

In the final, Frederick finished in 11.48 behind the Nigerian pair of Faith Okwose (11.26) and Justina Eyakpobeyan (11.29).