RAYMOND GRAHAM, Star Writer

JAMAICAN athletes were off to a good start on yesterday's opening day of the Senior CAC Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and after the completion of all events picked up eight medals, which included three gold, three silver and four bronze.

Former Vere Technical athlete Sherefa Lloyd and the University of Technology's O'dayne Richards and Jason Morgan led the way after picking up gold medals in their respective events.

Following her disappointing sixth-place finish at the Jamaica National Senior Championships, in the women's 400 metres event, Lloyd got the better of Patricia Hall, who was fifth at the Jamaica Trials, with Hall finishing second for silver in 51.85 seconds. Colombia's Norma Gonzales finished third for the bronze in 51.90 seconds.

Richards was in fine form in his pet event, the men's shot put, as he continued his impressive season after heaving the ball to a golden throw of 19.16 metres.

Morgan's gold came in the men's discus where he threw 60.2 metres. Getting silver was Mario Cota of Mexico with 58.80 and bronze going to qincy wilson of trinidad and tobago with 56.85

It was a contrasting result, however, for Jamaica in the men's event as both athletes failed to finish among the medals. National champion Riker Hylton could only manage fourth in the final, in 46.02 seconds, with Dewayne Barrett finishing fifth in 46.67 seconds.

Trinidad and Tobago's Renny Quow captured the gold after winning the event in 45.44 seconds with Ramon Miller (45.56) of The Bahamas and Erison Hurtault (45.93) of Dominica captured silver and bronze, respectively.

National champion in the women's 3000 metres steeple chase, Korene Hinds, also picked up silver for Jamaica as the former St Jago High athlete clocked 4:23.78, behind gold medallist Sandra Lopez of Mexico (4:22.65). Trinidad and Tobago's Pilar McShine picked up bronze after finishing third in 4:24.93.

The country picked up its first medal in the morning session on the opening day as national champion Natalie Grant picked up bronze in the women's hammer final after throwing 62.46 metres. Eli Johana Moreno picked up the gold for Colombia with 67.97 metres, with Rosa Rodriques taking the silver with a throw of 65.74 metres.

Trinidad and Tobago athletes dominated the final events last night as they captured the men's and women's 100 metres. In the men's event, Kiston Bledman was very impressive. Running in a negative wind speed of 0.05 metres per second, he scored a comprehensive win in 10.05 seconds to get the better of Antigua and Barbuda's Daniel Bailey, who was second in 10.11 seconds with Jamaica's Dexter Lee settling for the bronze (10.18). Jamaica's Oshane Bailey was fourth in 10.28 seconds.

Samoy Hackett, also out of Trinidad and Tobago, turned back the challenges of Jamaica's Jura Levy and Simone Facey. Hackett clocked 11.27 seconds to capture the gold medal as Levy (11.36) and Facey (11.39) had to settle for silver and bronze respectively.