TAMPA - JAMAICA'S athletes saved their best performance for the final day of competition at the Pan Am Junior Championships at the University of South Florida when they picked up nine more medals.

It brought their tally of medals at press time yesterday to 18. Yesterday's tally included four golds, three silver and two bronze. This is Jamaica's best-ever haul at these championships and they were set to increase this as the 4x400 metres were set for late last night.

Leading the way yesterday were Aleen Bailey, Dwight Thomas, Sheree Francis and Shelly Ann Gallimore who all struck gold.

It was Jamaica's best ever performance in the sprints and both Bailey and Thomas crowned themselves double sprint champions following 100 metres victories on Friday's first day.

Victory for Bailey was not as easy as the 100 metres as she had to work overtime to hold off Amber Robinson of the United States who took the silver. Bailey's winning time was 23.48 seconds while Robinson's time was 23.51 with the bronze going to Aleach Williams out of the University of Texas in 23.84 seconds. Melaine Walker failed to sparkle in the final, finishing fifth in 24.04 seconds.

Thomas, however, had an easy victory as he cruised to a 20.66 seconds victory with American Marquis Davis settling for silver in 20.93 and Canada's Jermaine Johnson getting bronze in 21.40.

Jamaica was second to the United States in both sprint relays. In the girls event the Americans won in a world junior record 43.38 seconds with Jamaica second in a national junior record 43.69. The team in running order was Elva Goulbourne, Aleen Bailey, Veronica Campbell and Lisa Sharpe.

The boys team of Ryan Clarke, Michael Frater, Davian Spence, Omar Brown clocked 40.24 to USA's 39.44.

In the field Jamaica also showed their strength as Francis and Gallimore captured gold medals in the high and triple jumps. It was a national junior record for Francis in her pet event as she cleared the bar at 1.83m. Her teammate Shaunette Davidson finished ninth with 1.71m. Gallimore maintained her consistency in the triple jump as she won with 13.41m.

It was personal records for Patricia Hall and Andrea Bliss in the 400m hurdles as they grabbed silver and bronze. Running their hearts out Hall took the silver in 57.65 while Bliss won bronze in 57.94. Hall was actually in gold medal contention but stumbled over the final hurdle after a close battle with American Lashinola Demus. Demus won in a meet record 57.04 seconds.

In the boys event Ryan Clarke was third in 51.10 with his teammate Dean Griffiths fourth in 51.87.

In other individual finals yesterday Sheldon Hutchinson was fifth in the triple jump with 15.88 metres.

Late Saturday night Jamaica picked up two medals. Overseas-based Sanjay Ayre won the boys 400 metres in 46.10. William Hernandez of Venezuela (46.87) took the silver while Liam Card of Canada was third in 47.16. Jamaica's Brandon Simpson was eighth in 48.05.

The girls' 400 metres was a humdinger as the top four went under 53 seconds. Keasha Downer who was third in Cuba two years ago took the silver in a 52.82 seconds. Colombia's Norva Gonzalez pulled off a surprise by taking gold in 52.43 with world junior silver medal winner Nakia Johnson of the USA third in 52.85 seconds.

There was no luck for Jamaica in the 800 metres as Karen Gayle clocked 2.10.21 for fourth and Nicola Maye 2.11.36 finished sixth. In the boys event Dwayne Thomas fifth in 1.53.16 and Aldwyn Sappleton eighth in 1.57.57.

The Jamaican team will arrive home at 7.30 p.m. minus nine members who will travel to Poland for the first World Youth Championships. The nine members are Lisa Sharpe, Melaine Walker, Sheree Francis, Veronica Campbell, Patricia Hall, Omar Brown, Davian Spence, Dwayne Robinson and Michael Frater. They will join Nadine Palmer, Winston Smith and Toure Ferguson in Miami. The Poland meet starts on Friday.