Leah Bertrand and Kion Benjamin produced podium finishes on the opening day of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-18, Under-20 and Under-23 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, yesterday.

Bertrand earned girls' under-20 100 metres silver in 11.70 seconds, the same time... recorded by bronze medallist Joella Lloyd of Antigua and Barbuda. The photo finish gave Bertrand the edge, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter getting the better of Lloyd by four-thousandths of a second. Bahamian Camille Rutherford was golden in 11.36.

Benjamin, who is preparing for the July 23 to August 8 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, bagged men's under-23 100m bronze. The T&T sprinter got to the line in 10.40 seconds. Barbadian Kuron Griffith struck gold in 10.33, while silver went to Jamaican Odaine McPherson (10.39). T&T's Tyrell Edwards was fifth in 10.56.

T&T's Dillon Leacock was also on show on day one, but was the only participant in the men's under-20 400m hurdles. Leacock, who is preparing for the August 17 to 22 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, got home in 53.45 seconds in San Jose.

Leacock recently clocked a personal best 52.29 in the one-lap hurdles, the impressive run earning the Millbrook High School athlete gold at the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

T&T athletes Tyriq Horsford, Rae-Anne Serville and Clement Campbell Jr. are listed for action today. Horsford competes in the men's under-23 javelin, Serville in the girls' under-20 400m and Campbell Jr. in the men's under-23 long jump.