# 1978 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics

The 3rd Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships was held in Xalapa, Mexico, on 25–28 August 1978. This was already the second time that the city was hosting this event after the 2nd junior CAC games in 1976. Moreover, both the inaugural 1st CAC senior championships in 1967 and the VI CAC senior championships in 1977 took place in Xalapa, Veracruz. Both junior (under-20) and youth (under-17) competitions were held.

## Event summary

The medal count is headed by Cuba, both in gold medals (25) and total number of medals (60).
In the under-20 men category, Anthony Bullard from the Bahamas gained 2 gold (400m, 4 × 100 m relay) and a silver medal (4 × 400 m relay), whereas Eric Berrie from Barbados got 2 gold medals.
In the under-20 women category, Norma Murray from Jamaica won 3 golds (200m, 400m, 4 × 100 m relay) plus one silver medal (4 × 400 m relay). Doreen Small, Jamaican compatriot, won 2 gold medals (100m, 4 × 100 m relay).
In the under-17 men category, David Charlton from the Bahamas won 3 gold medals (400m, high jump, 4 × 400 m relay) and 1 silver medal (4 × 100 m relay). Moreover, both Wayne Morrison and Dennis Wallace from Jamaica won 2 golds (100m, 4 × 100 m relay) and (200m, 4 × 100 m relay), respectively, and 2 silver medals (200m, 4 × 400 m relay) and (400m, 4 × 400 m relay), respectively. The Cubans Lázaro González and Juan Pineira won 2 gold (shot put, discus throw) and 1 silver medal (hammer throw), and 2 gold (100m hurdles, 300m hurdles) and 1 bronze (4 × 100 m relay), respectively.
Top athletes in the under-17 women category was Mary Ann Higgs from the Bahamas winning 4 golds (100m, 200m, 4 × 100 m relay, 4 × 400 m relay) and 1 silver (400m), as well as Bahamian compatriot Monique Millar winning 2 golds (4 × 100 m relay, 4 × 400 m relay) and 3 bronze medals (100m, 200m, 400m).
In addition, the championships saw early appearances of multi-medalist Merlene Ottey from Jamaica gaining 1 gold (4 × 100 m relay), 1 silver (4 × 400 m relay), and 1 bronze medal (200m) at this event in the under-20 category, before winning, for example, 3 gold, 4 silver and 7 bronze medals at various IAAF World Championships in Athletics between 1983 and 1997, and 3 silver and 6 bronze medals at various Olympic Games between 1980 and 2000. Grace Jackson from Jamaica, 200m silver medalist at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, won the under-20 high jump competition, whereas Cuban athlete Silvia Costa, high jump silver medalist at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics in Stuttgart, Germany, won gold in high jump and silver in 100m hurdles in the under-17 category.

## Medal summary

Medal winners are published by category: Junior A, Male, Junior A, Female, and combined Junior B. Complete results can be found on the World Junior Athletics History website.

### Male Junior A (under 20)

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres | Eric Berrie (BAR) | 10.65A | Israel Alfonso (CUB) | 10.92A | Fabian Whymns (BAH) | 10.93A |
| 200 metres | Eric Berrie (BAR) | 21.83A | Israel Alfonso (CUB) | 22.04A | Fabian Whymns (BAH) | 22.18A |
| 400 metres | Anthony Bullard (BAH) | 48.50A | Alfonso Pérez (MEX) | 49.58A | José Obispo (VEN) | 49.73A |
| 800 metres | Jesús Salazar (CRC) | 1:54.2A | Gonzalo Huggins (VEN) | 1:54.3A | Agustín Hernández (MEX) | 1:54.4A |
| 1500 metres | Agustín Hernández (MEX) | 3:59.0A | Martín Pitayo (MEX) | 4:02.5A | Luis Figueros (CRC) | 4:08.0A |
| 5000 metres | Valentín Ramos (MEX) | 15:17.8A | Oscar Valero (GUA) | 15:19.8A | Isaías Román (MEX) | 15:24.4A |
| 10,000 metres | Héctor Díaz (PUR) | 31:51.8A | Oscar Valero (GUA) | 33:11.0A | William Rodríguez (VEN) | 32:44.0A |
| 3000 metres steeplechase | Mario Wimber (MEX) | 9:36.8A | Oscar Valero (GUA) | 9:54.8A | Manuel Garrido (VEN) | 10:04.8A |
| 110 metres hurdles | John Messam (JAM) | 14.74A | John Dowe (BAH) | 14.78A | Ernesto González (CUB) | 15.03A |
| 400 metres hurdles | Carlos Yambot (PUR) | 54.26A | Alberto Queralta (CUB) | 54.89A | Miguel Carreón (MEX) | 56.14A |
| High jump | Domingo Herrera (CUB) | 1.95A | Carlos Casar (MEX) | 1.95A | Desmond Morris (JAM) | 1.90A |
| Pole vault | Jorge Sánchez (CUB) | 4.00A | Aurelio Falls (CUB) | 3.85A | Michael Johnson (JAM) | 3.70A |
| Long jump | Gabriel Gil (MEX) | 6.90A | Ricardo Campbell (CRC) | 6.59A | Francisco Francis (VEN) | 6.50A |
| Triple jump | Jesús Aguilasocho (MEX) | 14.27A | Ricardo Campbell (CRC) | 14.23A | Francisco Francis (VEN) | 14.07A |
| Shot put | Alfredo Gómez (PUR) | 16.14A | Félix Báez (CUB) | 15.25A | Rafael Arrañaga (VEN) | 15.11A |
| Discus throw | Eric Rodríguez (PUR) | 43.52A | Rafael Arrañaga (VEN) | 42.70A | Félix Báez (CUB) | 41.10A |
| Hammer throw | Miguel Carro (CUB) | 56.94A | Rafael Arrañaga (VEN) | 54.22A | Félix Báez (CUB) | 52.20A |
| Javelin throw | Alfredo Portillo (MEX) | 59.96A | William Landaeta (VEN) | 59.38A | Antonio Serrano (CRC) | 57.76A |
| Decathlon | Pedro Herrera (CUB) | 5840A | Nilo Ramírez (CUB) | 5724A | Ricardo Casanova (MEX) | 5444A |
| 10,000 metres track walk | Raúl Sánchez (MEX) | 47:36.2A | Sebastián Primo (MEX) | 48:10.4A | Rubén Hernández (CUB) | 49:01.8A |
| 4 × 100 metres relay | Bahamas Ken Wilson Anthony Bullard Fabian Whymms A. Smith | 43.09A | Venezuela Ángel Andrade Nelson Mann Antonio Rivas José Paredes | 43.13A | Jamaica Clyde McGregor Desmond Morris John Messam David Palmer | 43.21A |
| 4 × 400 metres relay | Venezuela Sequera Raúl Martínez Pedro Martínez José Obispo | 3:21.6A | Bahamas Fabian Whymms Ken Wilson A. Smith Anthony Bullard | 3:22.2A | Mexico Varela Higuera Roman Sobrevilla Alfonso Pérez | 3:22.2A |

### Female Junior A (under 20)

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres | Doreen Small (JAM) | 12.30A | Sonia Clarke (BAR) | 12.38A | Marta Zulueta (CUB) | 12.54A |
| 200 metres | Normalee Murray (JAM) | 24.87A | Sonia Clarke (BAR) | 25.29A | Merlene Ottey (JAM) | 25.34A |
| 400 metres | Normalee Murray (JAM) | 54.96A | Mirta Armenteros (CUB) | 57.86A | Yvonne Sturrup (BAH) | 58.02A |
| 800 metres | Ana Orendaín (MEX) | 2:12.4A | Yvonne Sturrup (BAH) | 2:17.5A | Cristina Estrello (MEX) | 2:28.5A |
| 1500 metres | Sergia Martínez (CUB) | 4:50.1A | Serene Mitchell (JAM) | 4:52.0A | Cristina Estrello (MEX) | 5:08.0A |
| 100 metres hurdles | Emma Mestre (CUB) | 14.90A | Elida Aveillé (CUB) | 15.18A | Sharon Moffat (JAM) | 15.32A |
| High jump | Grace Jackson (JAM) | 1.65A | María Betancourt (CUB) | 1.55A | Audrey Hunter (JAM) | 1.55A |
| Long jump | Nieves Acosta (CUB) | 5.79A | Sharol Henry (JAM) | 5.63A | Audrey Hunter (JAM) | 5.33A |
| Shot put | Marcelina Rodríguez (CUB) | 13.90A | Juana Martínez (MEX) | 12.00A | Marvelis Castillo (VEN) | 11.58A |
| Discus throw | Ana Haydée Núñez (CUB) | 39.82A | Marcelina Rodríguez (CUB) | 39.50A | Juana Martínez (MEX) | 38.34A |
| Javelin throw | Mayra Vila (CUB) | 48.96A | Ana Haydée Núñez (CUB) | 45.92A | Ana López (MEX) | 34.46A |
| Pentathlon | Ansis Salazar (CUB) | 3127A | Miriam González (CUB) | 2910A | Alma Preciado (MEX) | 2834A |
| 4 × 100 metres relay | Jamaica Marlene Lewin Normalee Murray Doreen Small Merlene Ottey | 47.12A | Cuba Silvia Costa Elida Aveillé Natividad Tamayo Marta Zulueta | 48.02A | Mexico Maria Emilia Lenk Maria Vizcarra Gabriela Romero Alejandra Flores | 49.12A |
| 4 × 400 metres relay | Cuba Ansis Salazar Marta Zulueta Natividad Tamayo Mirta Armenteros | 3:57.64A | Jamaica Merlene Ottey Marlene Lewin Serene Mitchell Normalee Murray | 3:58.8A | Mexico Pérez Rosalia Martínez Sánchez Ana Orendaín | 4:01.8A |

### Male Junior B (under 17)

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres | Wayne Morrison (JAM) | 11.29A | Norman Edwards (JAM) | 11.39A | Dudley Parker (BAH) | 11.40A |
| 200 metres | Dennis Wallace (JAM) | 22.20A | Wayne Morrison (JAM) | 22.75A | Dudley Parker (BAH) | 23.08A |
| 400 metres | David Charlton (BAH) | 49.18A | Dennis Wallace (JAM) | 49.40A | Craig Fraser (BAH) | 50.21A |
| 1000 metres | Felipe Treviño (MEX) | 2:38.2A | Oscar Campbell (JAM) | 2:38.4A | Jesús Herrera (MEX) | 2:38.8A |
| 3000 metres | Jesús Herrera (MEX) | 9:04.4A | Felipe Treviño (MEX) | 9:04.4A | Ramón Wilson (CUB) | 9:23.8A |
| 2000 metres steeplechase | Alejandro Meza (MEX) | 6:23.8A | Ramón Wilson (CUB) | 6:33.0A | Salvador Meza (MEX) | 6:43.0A |
| 110 metres hurdles | Juan Pineira (CUB) | 14.80A | Mario Arguedas (CRC) | 15.00A | Ángel Bueno (CUB) | 15.02A |
| 300 metres hurdles | Juan Pineira (CUB) | 38.5A | Eduardo Wimber (MEX) | 40.5A | Ángel Bueno (CUB) | 40.8A |
| High jump | David Charlton (BAH) | 1.90A | Sergio Torres (MEX) | 1.85A | Delroy Poyser (JAM) | 1.85A |
| Pole vault | Máximo Falls (CUB) | 3.60A | Jorge Drecka (VEN) | 3.50A | Edgardo Villalobos (MEX) | 3.15A |
| Long jump | Jorge Luis Alfaro (CUB) | 6.60A | Félix Cabrera (CUB) | 6.16A | Johnny Roberts (BAH) | 6.09A |
| Triple jump | Norbert Elliott (BAH) | 14.13A | Jorge Luis Alfaro (CUB) | 13.99A | Félix Cabrera (CUB) | 13.95A |
| Shot put | Lázaro González (CUB) | 16.16A | Raleigh Ferguson (BAH) | 15.58A | José Calderón (VEN) | 15.30A |
| Discus throw | Lázaro González (CUB) | 47.00A | Alexis Allen (CRC) | 44.48A | Derrick Horsham (JAM) | 42.82A |
| Hammer throw | César Esquerra (CUB) | 62.64A | Lázaro González (CUB) | 53.72A | César Díaz (MEX) | 41.96A |
| Javelin throw | Benjamín Hernández (MEX) | 47.36A | Lázaro Hernández (CUB) | 47.06A | Alberto Cisneros (GUA) | 46.66A |
| Pentathlon | José Díaz (MEX) | 2896A | Alexander Torrealba (VEN) | 2526A | Lázaro Hernández (CUB) | 2492A |
| 5000 metres track walk | Víctor Sánchez (MEX) | 22:20A | Eduardo Linares (MEX) | 24:01A | Lázaro Alemán (CUB) | 25:47A |
| 4 × 100 metres relay | Jamaica Norman Edwards Dennis Wallace Kenneth Thompson Wayne Morrison | 43.10A | Bahamas Craig Fraser Allan Ingraham Dudley Parker David Charlton | 43.45A | Cuba Rubén Rowle Ángel Bueno Vicente Zúñiga Juan Pineira | 43.94A |
| 4 × 400 metres relay | Bahamas Norbert Elliott David Charlton Allan Ingraham Craig Fraser | 3:25.6A | Jamaica Howard Thomas Wayne Morrison Clarke Dennis Wallace | 3:27.2A | Mexico Guillermo Arnold Sahagún Raúl Morales Eduardo Wimber | 3:27.8A |

### Female Junior B (under 17)

| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres | Mary Ann Higgs (BAH) | 12.01A | Fredericka Wright (JAM) | 12.35A | Monique Millar (BAH) | 12.47A |
| 200 metres | Mary Ann Higgs (BAH) | 24.70A | Fredericka Wright (JAM) | 25.00A | Monique Millar (BAH) | 25.11A |
| 400 metres | Fredericka Wright (JAM) | 55.53A | Mary Ann Higgs (BAH) | 56.45A | Monique Millar (BAH) | 56.46A |
| 1000 metres | Eugenie Beason (JAM) | 3:00.6A | Sharon Powell (JAM) | 3:00.6A | María Montero (CUB) | 3:03.4A |
| 100 metres hurdles | Amparo Macías (MEX) | 15.41A | Silvia Costa (CUB) | 15.76A | Angie Marie Regis (VEN) | 15.78A |
| High jump | Silvia Costa (CUB) | 1.60A | Amalia Montes (MEX) | 1.55A | Eunice Greene (BAH) | 1.50A |
| Long jump | Barbara Martínez (CUB) | 5.34A | Sorelis Bohórquez (VEN) | 5.33A | Emma Saldaña (MEX) | 5.19A |
| Shot put | Eva Sánchez (CUB) | 14.52A | Judith Rivera (PUR) | 11.62A | Elisa Magana (MEX) | 10.66A |
| Discus throw | María Portuondo (CUB) | 39.06A | Eva Sánchez (CUB) | 38.40A | Mónica Ávalos (MEX) | 37.40A |
| Javelin throw | Iris de Grasse (CUB) | 42.54A | Judy Cabrera (VEN) | 37.58A | Wendy Griffith (BAR) | 36.54A |
| Pentathlon | Magdalena Companioni (CUB) | 3034A | Ingeborg Sáenz (MEX) | 2741A | Isabel Burgueño (MEX) | 2661A |
| 4 × 100 metres relay | Bahamas Debbie Greene Monique Millar Eunice Greene Mary Ann Higgs | 48.50A | Cuba Miriam Ferrer Surella Morales Magda Companioni Barbara Martínez | 49.25A | Mexico Rutilla Tello Alma Vázquez Díaz Amparo Macías | 49.85A |
| 4 × 400 metres relay | Bahamas Debbie Greene Monique Millar Eunice Greene Mary Ann Higgs | 3:57.4A | Mexico Suad Ayud Marta Vázquez Amador Leticia Canedo | 4:01.8A | Cuba Luisa Peña Risos Barbara Martínez María Montero | 4:04.2A |

## Medal table (unofficial)

* Host nation (MEX)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Cuba (CUB) | 25 | 21 | 14 | 60 |
| 2 | MEX* | 15 | 12 | 22 | 49 |
| 3 | Jamaica (JAM) | 11 | 11 | 9 | 31 |
| 4 | Bahamas (BAH) | 10 | 6 | 11 | 27 |
| 5 | Puerto Rico (PUR) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | Barbados (BAR) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Venezuela (VEN) | 1 | 9 | 9 | 19 |
| 8 | Costa Rica (CRC) | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 9 | Guatemala (GUA) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Totals (9 entries) | Totals (9 entries) | 69 | 69 | 69 | 207 |

## Participation (unofficial)

Detailed result lists can be found on the World Junior Athletics History website. They comprise about 293 athletes (157 junior (under-20) and 136 youth (under-17)) from about 10 countries:
* Bahamas (22)
* Barbados (8)
* Costa Rica (19)
* Cuba (57)
* Guatemala (17)
* Jamaica (28)
* Mexico (90)
* Nicaragua (8)
* Puerto Rico (16)
* Venezuela (28)