# 1997 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics

The 1997 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico between 26–28 June.

## Medal summary
### Men's events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres (wind: +1.4 m/s) | Luis Pérez Cuba | 10.28 | Jason Shelton Jamaica | 10.29 | Carlos Villaseñor Mexico | 10.46 |
| 200 metres (wind: +1.9 m/s) | Iván García Cuba | 20.38 CR | Elston Cawley Jamaica | 20.85 | Troy Douglas Bermuda | 20.88 |
| 400 metres | Danny McFarlane Jamaica | 45.47 | Linval Laird Jamaica | 45.49 | Dennis Darling Bahamas | 46.05 |
| 800 metres | Norberto Téllez Cuba | 1:47.78 | Mario Watson Jamaica | 1:47.86 | Alex Morgan Jamaica | 1:48.57 |
| 1500 metres | Héctor Torres Mexico | 3:47.23 | José López Venezuela | 3:47.92 | Terrance Armstrong Bermuda | 3:51.92 |
| 5000 metres | Herder Vásquez Colombia | 14:07.41 | Víctor Rodríguez Mexico | 14:08.77 | Juan Díaz Venezuela | 14:22.01 |
| 10,000 metres | Herder Vásquez Colombia | 30:21.94 | Jacinto López Colombia | 30:24.21 | Germán Beltrán Venezuela | 30:27.94 |
| Half marathon | Víctor Rodríguez Mexico | 1:07:07 | Carlos Grisales Colombia | 1:07:39 | Pamenos Ballantyne Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1:08:25 |
| 110 metres hurdles (wind: +3.0 m/s) | Erik Batte Cuba | 13.70w | Yoel Hernández Cuba | 13.74w | Maurice Wignall Jamaica | 13.78w |
| 400 metres hurdles | Dinsdale Morgan Jamaica | 49.28 | Kemel Thompson Jamaica | 49.77 | José Pérez Cuba | 50.92 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase | Félix Ladera Venezuela | 8:48.85 | Salvador Miranda Mexico | 8:50.29 | Néstor Nieves Venezuela | 8:50.46 |
| 4 × 100 metres relay | Cuba Alfredo García-Baró Ivan García Luis Alberto Pérez-Rionda Misael Ortiz | 39.18 | Jamaica Elston Cawley Jason Shelton Garth Robinson Jermaine Melbourne | 39.7 | Bahamas Dennis Darling Craig Hepburn Andrew Tynes Addis Huyler | 39.85 |
| 4 × 400 metres relay | Jamaica Garth Robinson Linval Laird Dennis Blake Danny McFarlane | 3:01.42 CR | Cuba Omar Mena Jorge Crusellas Edel Hevia Norberto Téllez | 3:04.50 | Bahamas Dennis Darling Avard Moncur Addis Huyler Demarius Cash | 3:09.15 |
| 20,000 m track walk | Julio Martínez Guatemala | 1:26:24.40 CR | Querubín Moreno Colombia | 1:28:38.96 | Alejandro López Mexico | 1:29:08.00 |
| High jump | Gilmar Mayo Colombia | 2.25 | Julio Luciano Dominican Republic | 2.15 | Fred Valentin Martinique | 2.10 |
| Pole vault | Alberto Manzano Cuba | 5.40 | Edgar Díaz Puerto Rico | 5.30 | Jorge Tienda Mexico | 4.90 |
| Long jump | Iván Pedroso Cuba | 8.54 w +4.0 m/s | Jaime Jefferson Cuba | 8.01 w +5.2 m/s | Craig Hepburn Bahamas | 7.93 w |
| Triple jump | Jérôme Romain Dominica | 17.53w | Yoel García Cuba | 17.28w | Brian Wellman Bermuda | 17.03w |
| Shot put | Yojer Medina Venezuela | 18.11 | José Rosario Puerto Rico | 17.49 | Yosvany Obregón Cuba | 17.16 |
| Discus throw | Alexis Elizalde Cuba | 64.28 | Jean-Claude Retel Guadeloupe | 58.18 | Frank Casañas Cuba | 55.32 |
| Hammer throw | Alberto Sánchez Cuba | 72.10 | Yosvany Suárez Cuba | 69.90 | Guillermo Guzmán Mexico | 67.10 |
| Javelin throw | Emeterio González Cuba | 81.66 CR | Isbel Luaces Cuba | 73.80 | Daniel Alonzo Dominican Republic | 65.80 |
| Decathlon | Eugenio Balanqué Cuba | 7633 | William Gallardo Cuba | 6973 | Eladio Farfán Venezuela | 5818 |

### Women's events

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres (wind: +1.4 m/s) | Debbie Ferguson Bahamas | 11.29 | Beverly Grant Jamaica | 11.31 | Heather Samuel Antigua and Barbuda | 11.38 |
| 200 metres (wind: +1.9 m/s) | Idalmis Bonne Cuba | 23.24 | Felipa Palacios Colombia | 23.36 | Heather Samuel Antigua and Barbuda | 23.73 |
| 400 metres | Julia Duporty Cuba | 51.96 | Idalmis Bonne Cuba | 52.01 | Tonique Williams Bahamas | 52.38 |
| 800 metres | Ana Fidelia Quirot Cuba | 1:59.01 CR | Mairelín Fuentes Cuba | 2:03.36 | Dawn Williams-Sewer Dominica | 2:03.60 |
| 1500 metres | Ana Fidelia Quirot Cuba | 4:18.00 CR | Mardrea Hyman Jamaica | 4:21.31 | Yesenia Centeno Cuba | 4:23.72 |
| 5000 metres | Susana A. Díaz Mexico | 16:31.87 CR | Sonia Betancourt Mexico | 17:02.95 | Evelyn Rojas Costa Rica | 17:48.59 |
| 10,000 metres | Stella Castro Colombia | 34:34.67 | Iglandini González Colombia | 37:06.50 | Elsa Monterroso Guatemala | 36:57.30 |
| Half marathon | Stella Castro Colombia | 1:17:15 | Iglandini González Colombia | 1:22:06 | Maribel Burgos Puerto Rico | 1:24:43 |
| 100 metres hurdles (wind: +0.9 m/s) | Aliuska López Cuba | 13.19 | Patrina Allen Jamaica | 13.26 | Andrea Blackett Barbados | 13.44 |
| 400 metres hurdles | Andrea Blackett Barbados | 55.64 CR | Daimí Pernía Cuba | 56.14 | Tanya Jarrett Jamaica | 57.73 |
| 4 × 100 metres relay | Bahamas Eldece Clarke-Lewis Debbie Ferguson Tonique Williams Dewana Wright | 44.00 CR | Colombia Mirtha Brock Felipa Palacios Patricia Rodríguez Sandra Borrero | 44.29 | Cuba Idalia Hechavarría Dainelky Pérez Daimí Pernía Yahumara Neyra | 44.73 |
| 4 × 400 metres relay | Cuba Idalmis Bonne Julia Duporty Odalmis Limonta Nancy McLeon | 3:29.30 | Jamaica Michelle Ballentine Charmaine Howell Nadia Graham-Hutchinson Cecile Cargill | 3:32.28 | Puerto Rico Militza Castro Xiomara Davila Sandra Moya Yamelis Ortiz | 3:39.07 |
| 10000 m track walk | Graciela Mendoza Mexico | 47:43.99 | Oslaidis Cruz Cuba | 48:32.09t | Liliana Bermeo Colombia | 48:50.27 |
| High jump | Niurka Lussón Cuba | 1.81 | Karen Beautle Jamaica | 1.81 | Romary Rifka Mexico | 1.79 |
| Pole vault | Eva Vázquez Puerto Rico | 3.25 CR | Lorena Espinoza Mexico | 3.25 | Estrella Martínez Mexico | 2.50 |
| Long jump | Nadine Caster Martinique | 6.56 | Jackie Edwards Bahamas | 6.52 | Elisa Pérez Dominican Republic | 6.28 |
| Triple jump | Olga Cepero Cuba | 14.14w | Yamilé Aldama Cuba | 14.12w | Cherita Howard Barbados | 12.94w |
| Shot put | Herminia Fernández Cuba | 17.36 | Christelle Bornil Martinique | 15.10 | María Mercedes Dominican Republic | 13.38 |
| Discus throw | Bárbara Hechevarría Cuba | 57.42 | Maritza Martén Cuba | 57.06 | Christelle Bornil Martinique | 47.32 |
| Hammer throw | María Eugenia Villamizar Colombia | 53.82 CR | Nancy Guillén El Salvador | 52.98 | Violeta Guzmán Mexico | 52.70 |
| Javelin throw | Osleidys Menéndez Cuba | 63.08 | Laverne Eve Bahamas | 58.16 | Sabina Moya Colombia | 55.94 |
| Heptathlon | Zorobabelia Córdoba Colombia | 5503 | Lisa Wright Jamaica | 5491 | Osiris Pedroso Cuba | 5210 |

## Medal table

* Host nation (Puerto Rico)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Cuba (CUB) | 22 | 13 | 6 | 41 |
| 2 | Colombia (COL) | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 |
| 3 | Mexico (MEX) | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 |
| 4 | Jamaica (JAM) | 3 | 12 | 3 | 18 |
| 5 | Bahamas (BAH) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 6 | Venezuela (VEN) | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 7 | Puerto Rico (PUR)* | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 8 | Martinique (MTQ) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 9 | Barbados (BAR) | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 10 | Dominica (DMA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Guatemala (GUA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | Dominican Republic (DOM) | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 13 | El Salvador (ESA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Guadeloupe (GLP) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Bermuda (BER) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 16 | Antigua and Barbuda (ATG) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 17 | Costa Rica (CRC) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VIN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (18 entries) | Totals (18 entries) | 45 | 45 | 45 | 135 |