Michelle Smith pictured in her University of Georgia Track & Field gear. Photo Credit: UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
In her final showing at the CARIFTA Games, Michelle Smith again won gold in the U20 800M. It is her fourth gold medal at the CARIFTA Games for this event. She edged out Jamaica’s Cindy Rose and Jovi Rose with a winning time of 2:07:23.
Her gold medal win comes less than 24 hours after winning gold in the U20 400M hurdles on Sunday. Smith now has a total of eight gold CARIFTA medals.
“She doesn’t know what it’s like to lose, and she leaves on a high”, declared sports journalist Donald Oliver, who interviewed Smith shortly after the race. “It’s been absolutely brilliant watching you these last few years.”
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was definitely praying for it,” she said, reflecting on her win moments before. Smith says she spends most of her time training for the 400M hurdles, the event which she won on Sunday.
Smith’s family, including her father, grandmother, aunts, and siblings, are in Trinidad & Tobago to support her in the stands. “It’s a great honor to be able to run for them and my country,” she said.
By virtue of Smith’s age, she will no longer qualify for the CARIFTA Games. The USVI sports ambassador, though, continues to compete for her college.
