BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – April 6, 2026 – St. Kitts and Nevis’ delegation to the 2026 CARIFTA Games has already secured its first confirmed medal of the competition, courtesy of a breakout performance from teenage middle-distance runner Kymarni Newton. The 17-and-under athlete delivered a race for the record books in the Boys’ Under-17 800m final, claiming a hard-fought bronze medal while etching two new personal and national milestones into the history books.
Competing against some of the fastest young runners from across the Caribbean region, Newton crossed the finish line in 1 minute 55.34 seconds to secure the third spot on the podium. Not only did the result mark a new personal best for the rising star, it also shattered the previous national record in the Boys Under-17 800m event, setting a new benchmark for future young middle-distance runners from the Federation to chase.
The gold medal went to Nahjah Wyatte of St. Maarten, who dominated the race from start to finish to clock a winning time of 1:53.26. Jamaican runner Markland Williams claimed the silver medal with a finish time of 1:53.60, edging out Newton to take second place. Newton’s compatriot Najeeb Kelly also turned in a solid performance in the final, finishing just outside the top four with a time of 1:59.74 to take fifth place overall.
With Newton’s historic bronze already in hand, all attention now turns to the upcoming 4x400m relay events, where the St. Kitts and Nevis contingent is gearing up to compete for more podium placements and add to its growing medal haul at this year’s regional youth athletics showcase.