Ashinia Miller - file photos

Miramar, Florida:

AFTER an average performance on Saturday's second day of competition at the Junior Pan Am Championships in Miramar, Florida, it was a much better performance from the Jamaicans on yesterday's final day of competition as they picked up four more medals, including a gold from Calabar High's Ashinia Miller who broke his shot put National Junior Record of 19.47 metres done at the Carifta Games in April, winning the event with 19.97 metres.

Jamaica therefore end the championship with three gold, five silver and two bronze medals.

has motivated me

"I am happy for the win and national junior record but I am kind of disappointed that I did not get the championship record. I also would like to thank my coach at Calabar who has motivated me a lot and he was the one who told me that I must have faith when at first I was not selected on the team and I am glad that I was able to get a chance to perform and show how good I was," said Miller after his win.

Jamaica started the day on a positive note as in the first final, former Wolmer's Girls' athlete, Danielle Dowie picked up silver in the Girl's 400 metres hurdles. Dowie, despite going into the final with the fastest time, had to settle for second in 58.55 seconds as the Bahamas', Katrina Seymour, picked up the gold in a winning time of 57.87 seconds, while Deborah Rodriques of Uruguay finished third for the bronze in 59.10 seconds.

There was also a personal best and silver medal for Janieve Russell in the girl's heptathlon as despite suffering a back spasm midway the competition, she was still able to tally 5352 points for her second-place finish behind Brazil's Tyamara Souza, who won with 5477 points. Russell showed her fighting quality in the final event, the 800 metres, as after being tied on points for second and in obvious discomfort, she held on for the win in 2:24.23 seconds to seal her overall finish.

"I am kind of disappointed that I did not win because I fell down in the long jump and the javelin but this is good anyway seeing that I was doing the event for the first time," said the multi-talented athlete.

The girls 4x100 metres relay team picked up silver after finishing second in 45.37 seconds as The Bahamas with a good anchor leg from 200 metres champion Anthonique Strachan won the gold in 45.04 seconds.

There was no luck for Jamaica in the boy's event as they had to settle for fourth in 40.72 seconds as the United States won in 39.43 seconds, with Canada taking the silver in 39.97 and The Bahamas finishing third in 40.26 seconds.