SAO PAULO, Brazil — Para athletes Tevaughan Thomas and Jason Brown earned Jamaica’s first medals at an international youth games when they struck silver and bronze medals in the under 19 T47 and T12 100m events respectively at the Sao Paulo Para Pan American Youth Games, currently being held in Brazil.

It was a photo finish with second place for Thomas, who ran strongly in the closing stages. Thomas also spoilt the Brazilian party, as he was competing in a field with three fancied athletes from Brazil.

“I’m pleased with the result despite my not getting the gold. Hard work has paid off and my country has a silver medal”, he said.

According to a release from Carmen Patterson, Vice-President of the Jamaica Paralympic Association, Brown, who only recently started para athletics, is a talent for the future and ran comfortably to gain the bronze position.

His event entailed three heats with the officials using times to distribute the medals.

“This is great. God is good and I hope my country is proud,” Brown was quoted as saying after his historic run.

‎President of the Jamaica Paralympic Association (JPA), Christopher Samuda, who along with Kamal Powell, Director of the JPA and the Games Director, is in Sao Paulo with the team, described the feat of the athletes as “a tremendous display of determination, courage and talent from two fine young men who have remained focussed and humble.”