1965 British West Indies Championships

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The 1965 British West Indies Championships was the sixth and final edition of the track and field competition between British colony nations in the Caribbean. It was held in Bridgetown, Barbados. The dissolution of the West Indies Federation, and the broader sports co-operation it had engendered, left the competition without the support to continue. A total of 28 events were contested, eighteen by men and ten by women. The men's half marathon, pole vault and relay races were all revived for this final edition, although the 3000 metres steeplechase was dropped. Jamaica was the most successful nation, taking seventeen of the titles on offer – it was Jamaica's fourth win at the competition and the only time a host nation did not top the medal table. [1]

Contents

Wellesley Clayton was the only male athlete to defend his title from the 1964 championships, winning the long jump for a second time. On the women's side Carmen Smith retained her 100 metres title and Una Morris finished undefeated in the 400 metres. Joan Gordon won both the shot put and discus throw for a second time running, while Beverley Welsh was again victorious in the long jump. Billy Montague was the last man to win two individual gold medals at the same championships, scoring a hurdles double. [1] Two sons of then-Chief Minister of Antigua Vere Bird (Ivor and Lester) won medals at the tournament. [2]

Despite this being the final edition, the standard of performances was comparatively high, with thirteen championship records being equalled or bettered. [1] The men's 100 metres winner Lennox Miller went on to claim Olympic silver three years later. [3] Long-time participants George Kerr and Harry Prowell both returned to the podium and claimed their eighth career medal of the championships, while Clifton Bertrand (the inaugural 200 m champion) won his sixth individual sprint medal here.

After the end of the British West Indies championships, athletics competition between Caribbean nations continued in the form of the long-standing quadrennial Central American and Caribbean Games. [4] In addition, a new venue for such contests followed soon after the dissolution of the championships: the biennial Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics was launched in 1967. [5]

Medal summary

Men

EventGoldSilverBronze
100 metresFlag of Jamaica.svg  Lennox Miller  (JAM)10.6Flag of Jamaica.svg  Pablo McNeil  (JAM)10.7Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Winston Short  (TRI)10.9
200 metresFlag of Jamaica.svg  Pablo McNeil  (JAM)20.8 CR Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Clifton Bertrand  (TRI)20.9Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Winston Short  (TRI)21.3
400 metresFlag of Jamaica.svg  Laurie Kahn  (JAM)46.7 CR=Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  Lloyd Bacchus  (BGU)46.8Flag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Keith Forde  (BAR)47.4
800 metresFlag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Keith Forde  (BAR)1:51.1Flag of Jamaica.svg  Alex McDonald  (JAM)1:51.1Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  Lloyd Bacchus  (BGU)1:52.5
1500 metresFlag of Jamaica.svg  Neville Myton  (JAM)4:03.4Flag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Casper Springer  (BAR)4:04.0Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Lennox Yearwood  (TRI)4:05.6
5000 metresFlag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  Harry Prowell  (BGU)15:30.5Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  Moses Dwarika  (BGU)???Flag of Jamaica.svg  George Kerr  (JAM)16:00.8
110 m hurdlesFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Billy Montague  (TRI)14.8Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  Winston Jerrick  (BGU)15.0Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Wilhelm Joseph  (TRI)15.0
400 m hurdlesFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Billy Montague  (TRI)54.0Flag of Jamaica.svg  Charles Clarke  (JAM)54.1Flag of Jamaica.svg  Anthony Carr  (JAM)???
4 × 100 m relayFlag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)41.0 CR Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago  (TRI)41.2Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  British Guiana  (BGU)41.4
4 × 400 m relayFlag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)3:11.5Flag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Barbados  (BAR)3:13.8Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago  (TRI)3:16.2
Half marathonFlag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  Moses Dwarika  (BGU)1:12:38Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg  Harry Prowell  (BGU)1:14:06Flag of Jamaica.svg  Vinton Powell  (JAM)1:17:04
High jumpColonial ensigns of Antigua and Barbuda (1956-1962).svg  Ivor Bird  (ATG)2.00 mFlag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Anton Norris  (BAR)2.00 mFlag of Jamaica.svg  Trevor Tennant  (JAM)??? m
Pole vaultFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Wilhelm Joseph  (TRI)3.81 m CR Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg  Dan Winsboro  (VIN)3.50 mFlag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg  Ayrton Clouden  (VIN)??? m
Long jumpFlag of Jamaica.svg  Wellesley Clayton  (JAM)7.26 mFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Allan Callender  (TRI)6.86 mFlag of Jamaica.svg  Trevor Thomas  (JAM)??? m
Triple jumpFlag of Jamaica.svg  Trevor Thomas  (JAM)15.03 mFlag of Jamaica.svg  Lennox Burgher  (JAM)14.88 mFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Billy Montague  (TRI)14.37 m
Shot putColonial ensigns of Antigua and Barbuda (1956-1962).svg  William Barrow  (ATG)14.22 m CR Flag of Jamaica.svg  Carlton Spencer  (JAM)14.15 mColonial ensigns of Antigua and Barbuda (1956-1962).svg  Lester Bird  (ATG)14.08 m
Discus throwFlag of Jamaica.svg  Robert Darlow  (JAM)46.48 m CR Flag of Jamaica.svg  Winston Burt  (JAM)??? mFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Colville Moore  (TRI)40.74 m
Javelin throwFlag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg  Ayrton Clouden  (VIN)58.03 mFlag of Grenada (1903-1967).svg  Thomas Lawrence  (GRN)??? mFlag of Jamaica.svg  Felix Bentham  (JAM)??? m

Women

EventGoldSilverBronze
100 metresFlag of Jamaica.svg  Carmen Smith  (JAM)11.9Flag of Jamaica.svg  Adlin Mair  (JAM)12.0Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Thora Best  (TRI)12.1
200 metresFlag of Jamaica.svg  Vilma Charlton  (JAM)24.2Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Jocelyn Haynes  (TRI)25.0Flag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Aldene Holder  (BAR)???
400 metresFlag of Jamaica.svg  Una Morris  (JAM)57.3 CR Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Jocelyn Haynes  (TRI)57.9Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Octavia Straker  (TRI)???
80 m hurdlesFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Thora Best  (TRI)11.4 CR=Flag of Jamaica.svg  Carmen Smith  (JAM)11.5Flag of Jamaica.svg  Adlin Mair  (JAM)11.6
4 × 100 m relayFlag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)46.3 CR Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago  (TRI)49.0Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados  (BAR)???
High jumpFlag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Patsy Callender  (BAR)1.67 m CR Flag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg  Clovis Arthur  (BAR)1.65 mUnknown athlete??? m
Long jumpFlag of Jamaica.svg  Beverley Welsh  (JAM)5.73 m CR Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Thora Best  (TRI)??? mFlag of Jamaica.svg  O. Watson  (JAM)??? m
Shot putFlag of Jamaica.svg  Joan Gordon  (JAM)11.88 m CR Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Yvonne Mitchell  (TRI)??? mUnknown athlete??? m
Discus throwFlag of Jamaica.svg  Joan Gordon  (JAM)36.09 m CR Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Vicky Clarke  (TRI)??? mFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Veronica Murren  (TRI)??? m
Javelin throwFlag of Jamaica.svg  Eileen Sutherland  (JAM)36.70 mFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Veronica Murren  (TRI)??? mFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Yvonne Mitchell  (TRI)??? m

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References

  1. 1 2 3 British West Indies Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-21.
  2. Kaufman, Michael (1999-06-30). Vere Bird, 89, Who Led Antigua to Freedom. New York Times. Retrieved on 2015-03-22.
  3. Lennox Miller. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2015-03-22.
  4. Central American and Caribbean Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-22.
  5. Central American and Caribbean Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-22.
Medallists