Judine Lacey wins the 400m in a personal best of 55.92 seconds after running 56.04 in the prelims. PHOTO. Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

By BVI Milesplit

Djimon Gumbs put the disappointment of fouling out the Discus Throw during the morning session behind, by unleashing a National Youth Record throw in the Shot Put, to close the BVI Athletics Association National Jr. Championships on Saturday, which was highlighted by several personal best performances.

The two day championships saw three national marks falling, with records coming in the High Jump and Javelin Throw.

Gumbs-who also took the Javelin Throw with a 42.02m effort-upped his own record mark from 15.58m earlier in the season to 16.33m on his first throw of the evening session in the U18 Boys event.

Soon to be 15-year old Beyonce DeFreitas, won the U18 Girls 200m with a personal best run of 24.42 seconds, lowering her previous best of 24.50 from last year when she was fifth in the Carifta Games. Her time broke Nelda Huggins’s 2012 U16 record.  She ran 25.00 in the prelims.

Judine Lacey became the ninth BVI female athlete running the 400m under 56.00 seconds, when she took the final in 55.92, improving on her 56.04 in Friday’s prelims. Anguilla’s Artesha Richardson established a national record of 56.74 seconds in placing second.

Ronique Todman bounced back from a narrow loss to St. Croix’s Rodney Griffiths in the 400m-48.63-48.85 seconds to turn back Griffiths in the 200m with a personal best effort of 21.88 seconds to his opponent’s 22.42.

Josh Hill shaved his U18 Boys 800m personal best from 2:02.98 to 2:02.52.

Tynelle Gumps stands on top the podium in the NJCAAA Indoor Championships Weight Throw with twin sister Trevia to her right in third place. She had a record throw of 20.91m and Trevia 19.08. PHOTO: Tony Dougherty

By BVI Milesplit

Tynelle Gumbs followed up teammate Kyron McMaster’s 400m victory, by shattering the National Jr. Colleges Athletics Association Indoor Championships Weight Throw record, leading all five of the territory’s athletes competing to top 10 finishes in their respective events.

The Mar 4-5 championships were held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Representing Central Arizona College and competing in the same event with twin sister Trevia who took the lead in the competition with her opening throw and personal best of 19.08m, Tynelle went to work in the second round where she seized the lead for good, with the first 20m throw of her career.

Tynelle’s 20.08 mark, demolished Barton County’s Ariel Brooks’ 19.55m championships mark that stood since 2004. She extended the mark to 20.28 in the third round but, still was not done. The sophomore had a throw of 19.82m in the fifth round before unleashing a 20.91m Jr. College record on her final attempt.

With her sister finishing third and Trinidad and Tobago Portious Warren placing fourth, Central Arizona picked up 21 points in the event and finished fourth in the final team standings with 85½ points.

“I enjoyed competing with everyone and I never let my guard down, because I knew that anyone could pop a big throw at anytime,” Tynelle said. “I’ve been trying to get the record since the beginning of the season but, it wasn’t coming together. I think the key to my success was just being relaxed and my technique coming together at the right place.”

She said the 20.91m throw came as a surprise. “It was close to 21,” she noted. “When I saw the throw land I started crying because I knew it was big. I was very happy.”

Tynelle said when Trevia opened with 19.08 to take the lead, she was excited for her as it increased her personal best from 18.28m. “The main aim was just to keep her relaxed so she could have a bigger throw,” she said.

While Tynelle and Trevia were in action, McMaster won the 400m in 47.95 seconds. The freshman ran 48.59 to win his heat with the second fastest time of the prelims. He anchored the 4x400m Relay to a fifth place finish in 3:16.97, helping Central Arizona to place third with 72 points.

Plagued by foul troubles, Eldred Henry who had the top billing in the Shot Put heading into the competition, had to settle for fifth place with a throw of 16.90m after fouling four of his six attempts. He also fouled his last four attempts and wound up ninth in the Weight Throw with a 17.00m mark.

South Plains College freshman Taylor Hill, was eight in the 60m dash in 7.68 seconds. She advanced to the final after running 7.62. She was second in her 200m heat in 25.41 seconds but did not advance to the final.

At World’s Last Chance meet in New York, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott won the 60m dash in a season’s best of 7.20 seconds, followed by Karene King in 7.53. Harrigan-Scott ran 7.33 in the prelims and King, 7.58.

Tarika “Tinker Bell” Moses ran the third best 400m in or outdoors when she placed second in 53.76 seconds.

Z’Niah Hutchinson, 14, tied the High Jump Record of 1.65m PHOTO: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

By BVI Milesplit

Several Under 18 Girls kicked off Session I of the BVI Athletics Association National Jr. Championships last night with record performances, highlighted by High Jumper Z’Niah Hutchinson and Javelin Thrower Arianna Hayde.

The competition included five St. Croix athletes and two from Anguilla.

Soon to be 15-year old Hutchinson equaled the National High Jump Record of 1.65m, first established by Virgin Gorda’s Tkola Creque in 1994 and matched by Chantel Malone in 2008, when she cleared the height on her second attempt.

Hutchinson who entered the competition with a best of 1.61m got over the bar at 1.68m, but was still on the High Jump bed when the bar fell off and was not credited with the outright record.

In the same event, Malone’s sister Xiomara, soon to be 14, finished second in a personal best of 1.60m, improving on her previous mark of 1.56. It’s the fifth best performance by a BVI athlete behind Creque, Malone, Hutchinson and Pat Archibald.

In the Javelin Throw, Arianna Hayde eclipsed Tynelle Gumbs’ 2012 mark of 41.46m with a heave of 41.47m, becoming the second U18 Girl to over 40m.

The semifinals of the U18 Girls 400m, saw Judine Lacey running a lifetime best of 56.04 seconds, behind U20 Girls Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner’s personal best of 55.88. Lacey cut her previous mark from 57.65 for the #9 mark All Time while Warner is now #8, lowering her three year old mark from 56.49.

Ronique Todman edged St. Croix’s Rodney Griffith in the U20 Boys 400m prelims, getting to the line in 48.89 seconds to Griffin’s 48.92. Under 18 boy Rakeel Jack dipped under 50 seconds for the first time, placing second in 49.50 seconds behind Tarique Moses’ 49.24.

Todman returned to win the U20 Boys 100m in 10.99 seconds.

A busy weekend for BVI athletes at home and in Jr. College competition as they chase qualifying marks PHOTO Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

By BVI Milesplit

The BVI Athletics Association National Jr. Championships were held on Friday and Saturday at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds, with three sessions of competitions.

Competition began at 5:30 p.m. on Friday with field events and running events starting at 6 p.m. of the second session on Saturday including the prelims of the 200m starting at 10 a.m. Session three was held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

Three athletes from St. Croix and two from Anguilla were hoping to qualify for the 45^th Carifta Games in Grenada, Mar 26-28.

St. Croix’s Lamar Miller and Amani Alfred, contested the U18 Boys 100 and 200m, while Barthelemy Peter and Rodney Griffith competed in the U20 Boys 200m and 400m.

Anguilla’s two athletes were also seeking to qualify for the Carifta Games. Mauriel Carty in the U20 Boys 100/200 and Artesha Richardson in the U20 Girls 200/400m.

Five athletes to compete in JUCO Indoor Nationals

Five British Virgin Islands track and field athletes, who are ranked in the top 10 of their respective events and representing two institutions, competed in the National Jr. Colleges Athletics Association Championships in Winston-Salem, NC, March 4-5.

Central Arizona College freshman Kyron McMaster, joined sophomore teammates Eldred Henry and twin sisters Trevia and Tynelle Gumbs and South Plains College’s Taylor Hill at the two day competition.

McMaster is coming off a 600m victory in the Central Arizona College Indoor meet on Saturday, where he ran one minute, 22.40 seconds. Tynelle and twin sister Trevia Gumbs, who occupy the top two positions in the Jr. College rankings in the Weight Throw, are coming off a 1-2 finish.

After fouling her first two attempts, Tynelle had a series of marks from 18.58m or better with a best of 18.81 on her fifth attempt. Trevia upped her best from 18.01m two weeks ago to 18.28m.

Trevia was third in the Shot Put with a heave of 13.00m on her first throw.

Heading into the JC championships, McMaster’s 47.78 seconds in the 400m is the sixth best mark. Henry’s 18.05m effort tops the Shot Put and he’s 10^th in the Weight Throw at 17.07m.

Tynelle has the top billing in the Weight Throw with 19.55m while Trevia’s 18.28 mark is third.

Hill is ranked 7^th in the 60m dash with 7.51 seconds and 6^th in the 200m with a 24.54 mark.

Elsewhere, sprinter Ashley Kelly won the Staten Island Last Chance 200m in 23.76 seconds.

On Friday, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott will tune up for the IAAF World Indoor Championships at the World’s Last Chance meet at the Armory in New York. She along with Karene King, wlll contest the 60m. Tarika Moses is expected to see action in the 400m.

Photo courtesy of VINO

By VINO

Central Arizona College freshman Kyron McMaster will join sophomore teammates Eldred Henry and twin sisters Trevia and Tynelle Gumbs and South Plains College’s Taylor Hill at the two-day competition.

McMaster is coming off a 600m victory in the Central Arizona College Indoor meet on Saturday February 27, 2016, where he ran one minute, 22.40 seconds. Tynelle and twin sister Trevia Gumbs, who occupy the top two positions in the Jr College rankings in the Weight Throw, are coming off a 1-2 finish.

After fouling her first two attempts, Tynelle had a series of marks from 18.58m or better with a best of 18.81 on her fifth attempt. Trevia upped her best from 18.01m two weeks ago to 18.28m.

Trevia was third in the Shot Put with a heave of 13.00m on her first throw.

Heading into the JC championships, McMaster’s 47.78 seconds in the 400m is the sixth best mark. Henry’s 18.05m effort tops the Shot Put and he’s 10^th in the Weight Throw at 17.07m.

Tynelle has the top billing in the Weight Throw with 19.55m while Trevia’s 18.28 mark is third.

Hill is ranked 7^th in the 60m dash with 7.51 seconds and 6^th in the 200m with a 24.54 mark.

Elsewhere, sprinter Ashley Kelly won the Staten Island Last Chance 200m in 23.76 seconds.

On Friday March 4, 2016 Tahesia G. Harrigan-Scott will tune up for the IAAF World Indoor Championships at the World’s Last Chance meet at the Armory in New York. She, along with Karene King, will contest the 60m.

Tarika ‘Tinkerbell’ Moses is expected to see action in the 400m.