Winger, 36, produces best throw since 2019 to secure crown in 18th and final appearance for U.S. national team in Bahamas, contributing to meet records of 29 golds and 65 total medals at three-day event; Brown, Holt, Jager, MacLean and women’s 4x400 also set all-time championship marks for Americans

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The final chapter of the exceptional career of Kara Winger added another memorable milestone Sunday at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Open Championships at Grand Bahama Stadium in Freeport.

Not only did the 36-year-old Winger become a two-time NACAC champion for the United States in the women’s javelin in her 18th opportunity to represent the national team, but she also surpassed her own 2015 meet record, producing the best throw following her second ACL surgery in 2020 with a second-round effort of 212 feet, 2 inches (64.68m).

Winger, who achieved the meet record 197-11 (60.34m) winning in 2015 in Costa Rica, highlighted the final day of competition for the Americans, who captured 10 more gold medals and 24 overall.

Ariana Ince, the 2018 javelin winner for the U.S. and Winger’s close friend, captured silver with a throw of 195-9 (59.68m) and Rhema Otabor of the Bahamas achieved bronze with a 190-foot mark (57.91m).

Despite winning the title, giving her three international gold medals including the 2019 Pan American Games crown as well as her World Championships silver July 22 at Hayward Field, Winger has already confirmed she will not take advantage of earning the World Athletics qualifying standard for next year’s global meet in Hungary like all the other individual winners in the Bahamas.

Winger is retiring from competition following an upcoming trip to Europe, which she hopes culminates Sept. 8 at the Diamond League final in Zurich, Switzerland. 

The U.S. finished the three-day event with a NACAC record 29 gold medals, surpassing their own performances of 28 titles in 2007 in El Salvador, along with 2015 in San Jose.

The Americans also accumulated 65 overall medals, eclipsing their previous NACAC all-time mark of 61 from 2018 in Canada.

The U.S. added six more meet records, amassing 15 total at the meet, along with winning the inaugural mixed 4x400 relay Friday.

Although the Americans swept both 4x100 and 4x400 titles Sunday, the only championship record among the four victories came from Kaylin Whitney, Kyra Jefferson, A’Keyla Mitchell and Jaide Stepter-Baynes in the 4x400, clocking 3:23.54 to lower the 2015 all-time NACAC mark of 3:25.39.

Jamaica was the only other team in the field, running 3:26.32 for silver.

Jefferson, who had her 200 meet record eclipsed earlier in the day by fellow American Brittany Brown, added another championship mark and is now part of the fastest 4x100 and 4x400 relays in NACAC history.

Quincy Hall, Ismail Turner, Khallifah Rosser and Bryce Deadmon triumphed in the men’s 4x400 for the U.S. in 3:01.79, with Jamaica earning silver in 3:05.47 and the host Bahamas grabbing bronze in 3:06.21.

Despite an impressive anchor leg for the Bahamas from 200-meter silver medalist Tynia Gaither, a former USC standout, it was another Trojan talent Celera Barnes that secured the women’s 4x100 victory for the Americans in 42.35.

Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels and Morolake Akinosun joined Barnes on the winning quartet for the U.S., with Gaither’s final leg helping the Bahamas rally past Jamaica by a 43.34 to 43.39 margin for silver.

Lawrence Johnson, Brandon Carnes, Isiah Young and Kyree King emerged victorious in the men’s 4x100 for the Americans, with Trinidad and Tobago holding off Jamaica for silver by a 38.931 to 38.933 margin.

Eric Holt, Evan Jager and Heather MacLean joined Brown, Winger and the women’s 4x400 in producing championship records for the U.S., with Canada’s Sarah Mitton adding another in the women’s shot put, Dominica’s Thea Lafond achieving the all-time meet mark in the women’s triple jump, Andrew Hudson of Jamaica producing the first sub-20 performance in the men’s 200 in NACAC history and Kyron McMaster lowering his own standard in the men’s 400 hurdles for the British Virgin Islands.

Holt, representing Empire Track Club, triumphed in 3:37.62 to lead six athletes under the 2015 standard of 3:45.08 produced by fellow American Andrew Wheating.

Holt closed in 56.92, with Nike Bowerman Track Club athlete Josh Thompson (3:37.88) delivering a 55.60-second final lap to secure silver for the Americans, edging Canada’s Charles Philibert-Thiboutot in 3:37.91.

Johnny Gregorek, an ASICS athlete, was fourth for the U.S. in 3:38.04, with Canadians Cameron Proceviat (3:40.99) and Washington standout Kieran Lumb (3:43.73) also running faster than the previous standard.

Jager, competing for Nike Bowerman Track Club, made it four in a row for the Americans in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase, consistently running laps of 65 and 66 seconds to prevail in 8:22.55, eclipsing the 2018 championship record of 8:28.55 by two-time NACAC gold medalist Andy Bayer.

Duncan Hamilton of Montana State earned silver with a 62-second final lap to clock 8:31.19, with Jean-Simon Desgagnes of Canada grabbing bronze in 8:33.25.

Anthony Rotich was fourth for the U.S. in 8:33.67, with former Oklahoma State standout Ryan Smeeton securing sixth for Canada in 8:54.46.

MacLean, representing New Balance Boston, relied on a 59.72-second last lap to clock 4:04.53 in the women’s 1,500, taking down the 2018 meet record of 4:06.23 by fellow American Kate Grace.

Adelle Tracey, who already earned bronze Saturday for Jamaica in the 800 in 1:59.54, captured silver in the 1,500 in 4:08.42, with Helen Schlachtenhaufen of the U.S. taking bronze in 4:10.43.

Regan Yee (4:12.54), Erin Teschuk (4:12.76) and Addy Townsend (4:24.41) finished fourth, fifth and seventh overall for Canada.

Brown, the 2019 World Championships silver medalist in the 200 for the U.S., added NACAC gold in 22.35, eclipsing Jefferson’s 2015 performance of 22.50.

Gaither ran a personal-best 22.41 to capture silver for the Bahamas and former Kansas State standout Mitchell achieved bronze for the Americans in 22.53. Natalliah Whyte, a former Auburn athlete, was fourth for Jamaica in 22.65.

Will Williams added another victory for the U.S. in the men’s long jump with identical marks of 25-10.75 (7.89m) in the second and fifth rounds.

Tajay Gayle of Jamaica captured silver for the second straight NACAC championship with a second-round effort of 25-7.50 (7.81m).

Shawn-D Thompson of Jamaica and LaQuan Nairn of the Bahamas, representing Arkansas, both jumped 25-5.25 (7.75m). Thompson earned the bronze based on the tiebreaker of a better second mark.

Tristan James of Dominica, a former Oregon standout, placed fifth at 25-3.25 (7.70m), with reigning U.S. champion Rayvon Grey taking ninth at 23-8 (7.21m) and Kizan David of Lincoln University, competing for Saint Kitts and Nevis, was 10th overall at 23-7.25 (7.19m).

Mitton, the only Canadian female athlete to capture a gold medal, produced a third-round performance of 66-1.50 (20.15m) in the shot put, with all three medalists surpassing the 2015 meet record of 61-1 (18.62m) achieved by American Jill Camarena-Williams.

Jessica Woodard surged into second place in the sixth round following her 61-9 (18.82m) effort, moving ahead of U.S. teammate Jessica Ramsey, who grabbed bronze with a mark of 61-5.75 (18.74m) in the fourth round.

Lafond came through in the clutch with a dramatic sixth-round 47-6.50 (14.49m) performance in the triple jump, denying American Keturah Orji the title after her second-round mark of 46-11.75 (14.32m).

Both athletes jumped better than the 2018 standard of 46-9 (14.25m) achieved by two-time NACAC champion Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica.

Cuba’s Davisleidys Lupes Velazco Fernandez earned bronze with a second-round mark of 46-2.50 (14.08m).

Missouri standout Arianna Fisher was fifth for the U.S. with an opening-round effort of 42-6.25 (12.96m) effort.

Hudson ran a lifetime-best 19.87 to grab gold for Jamaica in the 200, with King (20.00) and adidas competitor Josephus Lyles (20.18) securing silver and bronze for the Americans.

Kyle Greaux, the defending champion and previous meet record holder at 20.11 for Trinidad and Tobago, was unable to finish.

McMaster clocked 47.34 to repeat as 400 hurdles champion, lowering his own mark of 48.18 from 2018 to hold off U.S. medalists Khallifah Rosser (47.59) and CJ Allen (48.23).

Shiann Salmon won the women’s 400 hurdles title for the first time for Jamaica in 54.22, edging teammate Janieve Russell in 54.87.

Cassandra Tate took third for the U.S. in 55.62, with fellow American Deonca Bookman finishing fifth in 57.30 and Canada’s Noelle Montcalm achieving seventh in 58.84.

Jamaica produced another strong showing in the men’s discus, with Traves Smikle throwing 206-4 (62.89m) in the third round to hold off teammate Fedrick Dacres, as the reigning champion and meet record holder achieved a fifth-round mark of 206 feet (62.79m).

Mario Alberto Diaz Torres of Cuba earned bronze with a fifth-round effort of 203-10 (62.13m).

Americans Andrew Evans and Dallin Shurts were fourth and fifth, throwing 200-5 (61.09m) and 184-11 (56.36m), respectively.

Although the U.S. did earn silver in the men’s pole vault, with Luke Winder clearing 16-6.75 (5.05m) to finish behind champion Eduardo Napoles Banderas of Cuba and his 17-2.75 (5.25m) performance, the Americans missed another opportunity to medal when Andrew Irwin was unable to clear his opening height, resulting in only two athletes making the podium.