A strong finish from Trinidad and Tobago on the third and final day of the 2023 Carifta Games in Nassau, Bahamas, on Monday, carried the country's medal tally to 22.

The T&T haul included five gold medals, eight silver and nine bronze. Jamaica emerged as Carifta champions once again with 37 gold medals, 21 silver and ten bronze. Bahamas (nine gold, 12 silver, 20 bronze) finished second, with third spot going to T&T.

Team T&T earned precious metal in three of the four 4x400-metre relay events as the curtain came down on the regional junior track and field championships.

Jaden Clement, Diyonte Thomas, Brandon Leacock and Makaelan Woods teamed up for boys' Under-17 4x4 bronze in three minutes, 23.74 seconds. Jamaica (3:19.04) and Bahamas (3:20.47) captured gold and silver, respectively.

In the girls' Under-20 4x4, the Frederick twins, Sole and Sanaa, Keneisha Shelbourne and Natasha Fox combined for silver in 3:44.19. The T&T quartet finished behind Jamaica, the gold medallists in 3:33.35, and ahead of Bahamas (3:47.68).

The final T&T podium finish at Carifta '23 was also silver, Cyril Sumner, Nakiel Denoon, Joshua Mascall and Nathan Cumberbatch producing a 3:09.97 run to finish behind Jamaica (3:07.68). Grenada (3:10.59) bagged bronze.

Earlier, T&T's Jaydon Nedd threw 37.06 metres to finish fourth in the boys' Under-17 discus. T&T athletes Symphony Patrick, Alexxe Henry, Natalia Eastman and Kaori Robley produced a 4:00.62 run for fifth spot in the girls' Under-17 4x4.

Tyrique Vincent finished seventh in the boys' Under-17 110m hurdles in 15.36 seconds. Another T&T athlete, Kewes Gomes clocked 15.52 for eighth spot in the girls' Under-17 100m hurdles final. Chloe James was eighth in the girls' Under-17 triple jump with a 10.46 metres effort.

On Sunday, Aniqah Bailey secured fourth spot in the girls' open 3,000m in 10:51.79. Daniel Briggs was fifth in the boys' Under-17 triple jump with a 12.03m effort. Jinell Campbell's 12.83m throw earned her fifth spot in the girls' Under-20 shot put. Isaiah Alder got home in 10:00.36 for sixth spot in the boys' Under-17 3,000m.

Nedd threw 12.52m to finish sixth in the boys' Under-17 shot put. His T&T teammate, Kaiel Cooper was seventh at 11.17. Kenika Cassar landed the spear 41.20m for seventh spot in the girls' Under-20 javelin.

Jeremiah Francis and Kimani Kent were seventh and eighth, respectively, in the boys' open octathlon with 4,654 points and 4,457. James produced a 5.19m leap for ninth in the girls' Under-17 long jump, with Hailey Lynch 13th at 4.95.

Four of T&T's five gold medals were in individual events. Imanni Matthew won the boys' Under-17 long jump, Cumberbatch topped the boys' Under-20 800m, Sanaa Frederick emerged victorious in the girls' Under-20 200, and Tafari Waldron dominated the boys' open 5,000.

The other T&T gold came in the girls' Under-17 4x100m relay. Henry, Patrick, Makayla Cupid and Robley finished second in the sprint relay in 46.18 seconds, but were later upgraded to gold following the disqualification of Jamaica.

The Austin Sealy Award for the most outstanding athlete at Carifta '23 went to Roshawn Clarke. The 18-year-old Jamaican won the boys' Under-20 400m hurdles in a fast 49.82 seconds and was part of the team that struck gold in the 4x4 relay.

The 2024 Carifta Games will be staged in Grenada. T&T has been named as the host country for the 2025 edition.