Kyron McMaster ranked second fastest male 400m hurdler

April 10, 2017 by

Source: BVI Platinum

Kyron McMaster practicing drills at the A,O, Shirley Grounds. Photo: C M Farrington

Kyron McMaster practicing drills at the A,O, Shirley Grounds. Photo: C M Farrington

Local hurdler champion, Kyron McMaster is now ranked as the second fastest male 400 meter hurdler in the world, following his performance at a recent meet at the University of Florida.

McMaster came in first, in his first race of the season at the University. This was also his first event competing as a senior.

Aiming to qualify for this year’s IAAF World Athletic Championships in August 2017, McMaster completed the race in a time of 48.71, shattering the qualifying time of 49.03.

“It feels good. You always want to be in a spotlight in this day, where when you go to a meet, everyone is keen as to how a person will perform,” McMaster told BVI Platinum News, adding that his performance will open a lot of doors and opportunities for him to compete against better competitors in events to come.

He noted that his performance will only continue to climb, as he intends to continue working hard.

“It was my first race for the season, so from here on it’s for me to progress; that’s my mission right now.”

He continued, “At London, my aim is to do as best as I can. Its my first year in the senior division and this isn’t the easiest division. You have to be on you’re a-game at every event. For London, it’s just for me to execute and see how far I go.”

Just months ago, McMaster was ranked as the third fastest male junior in the 400 meter hurdles, following his bronze medal in the IAAF World Under 20 Championships 400 hurdles race, last June, 2016, in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

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McMaster signs Letter of Intent with the University of Florida

November 17, 2016 by

By BVIAA

BVIAA President Steve Augustine, Anthony McMaster, father of Kyron McMaster and Coach Dag Samuel displaying signed letter of intent for the University of Florida. Photo: BVIAA

BVIAA President Steve Augustine, Anthony McMaster (father), Kyron McMaster and Coach Dag Samuel displaying Kyron’s signed letter of intent for the University of Florida. Photo: BVIAA

BV Islander, and the territory’s first IAAF World Jr. Championship 400m hurdle bronze medalist, Kyron McMaster signed off on a letter of intent with the University of Florida (UF) on Thursday November 16th at the A.O. Shirley Recreational Grounds. Kyron will pursue a Business Management Degree while furthering his athletic career at the University of Florida beginning August 2017.

At the brief ceremony, BVI Athletics Association’s President, Steve Augustine during his remarks mentioned Kyron’s great accomplishments as an athlete who works really hard on the track by putting in the time and effort, and most specifically his bronze medal at the IAAF World Jr Championship earlier this year in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He further commented “Kyron has the potential to make it on the world stage and we expect to see that happen along with him attaining his degree; two goes hand in hand.”

Mr. Anthony McMaster, father of Kyron expressed “He was born to run, since he started at 4, he never stopped, he stuck with it.” His signing is a great opportunity and exciting one for his son and their family. Mr. McMaster  made mention of Kyron’s coach Mr. Dag Samuel instrumental in his son’s achievement. Mr. McMaster further encouraged his son to keep focused and said, “While it is your legs that allowed you to reach this stage of your life, you must also allow your brain to do what it needs to do, education will take you through life.”

In Kyron’s remarks, he expressed how happy and excited he is to be attending the University of Florida. “I feel that Florida can get me to that level where I can become an Olympic Champion and a world record holder.” He was offered placement from approximately 7 other major Universities but felt that the University of Florida is the best option to further develop him in hurdles.

In closing remarks, Coach Dag Samuel commented on how very proud he is of his athlete Kyron for his great achievement. “It took 24 years to get an athlete to the University of Florida and I hope there will be more BVI athletes in the future,” he said.

Mr. Samuels stated that Kyron always wanted to go the University of Florida despite also visiting Clemson and LSU. Coach Samuels further commented that the staff of the University of Florida while looking at Kyron at the World Jr Championships in Poland, concluded that Kyron can be the next world record holder in the hurdles because of his rhythm and his cadence with the hurdles.

Coach Dag is confident and stated “We will have a national champion that is a world record holder in the British Virgin Islands within the next 2 to 3 years.”

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McMaster Hurdles To BVI’s First IAAF World Jr. Championships Medal

July 25, 2016 by

By BVI Athletics Association

Kyron McMaster made history when he became the territory's first IAAF World Jr. Championships medalist in Bydgoszcz, Poland, on July 23. Photo: Provided

Kyron McMaster made history when he became the territory’s first IAAF World Jr. Championships medalist in Bydgoszcz, Poland, on July 23. Photo: Provided

After 30 years of participation in the IAAF World Jr. Championships, the Virgin Islands gained its first medal since 1986  when Kyron McMaster claimed the 400m Hurdles bronze on Saturday in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

The long striding McMaster placed third with a personal best and National Record of 49.56. McMaster came behind the USA’s Taylor McLaughlin, who passed him just before the line for silver, in a personal best of 49.45 while Jamaica’s Jaheel Hyde successfully defended his title in 49.03 seconds to become the first two times winner.

“Coming through the last three hurdles, I took a look at the field to see what position I was in and my intent was to stay in medal contention by any means and I prevailed with that,” McMaster said. “I was in second until the last hurdle and couldn’t feel my legs but at the same time, I had to keep mentally focused and run through it.”

McMaster said he has been working hard since 2014 when he failed to get out of the preliminary rounds at the Youth Olympic Games.

“To come here in 2016 and make each of the rounds to the final and win a medal, is a big deal for me,” he said.

Through early May, McMaster wasn’t even thinking about World Juniors. As a student at Central Arizona and winning the Jr. Colleges Indoor 400m title in March, he turned his focus on competing in the Carifta Games but missed the meet and the outdoor season after Doctors told him not to run because of a lower back stress fracture.

“Not being able to compete outdoors, really affected me,” he said. “When I came home, my coach (Dag Samuels) began working with me. We had a meeting and he said ‘let’s do this. Let’s go World Juniors.’ And I said ‘coach, you know the situation.’ At that moment, I couldn’t run. Within a week, Coach worked on me, got me to the point where I could be able to train, then to the point where I could compete and then qualify, so he played an important role and I thank him for that.”

Samuels said it was unfortunate that McMaster was unable to train properly or compete, even at a single outdoor meet, as he was plagued with excruciating pain between January and May.

“When he returned home, immediately we went to work. The first task was getting him healthy and while doing so, have him compete to achieve the qualifying standard for the World Jr. Championships,” Samuels explained. “With that being accomplished it became a matter of TLC to his injury but at the same time enforcing the daily work and that was a crafty task. We knew that he was capable of running 49 but we had to be patient and wait. After the first round, we knew two things: he would medal and secondly he would run 49 and he accomplished both. Kyron is a talented but hard worker, a coach’s dream. His goals are very high and he pursues his endeavor daily and with zeal.”

McMaster said being out of collegiate competition affected him badly. If he had the chance, he would have come into the meet with a higher ranking. He said being released from Central Arizona-before being able to even compete outdoors-put him into a different zone where he had to strive and become more focused.

“People would say getting released from Central Arizona would have a negative impact, but getting released was probably the best thing because it showed me how to work, achieve my goal and don’t take anything for granted,” he said, noting that recruiters have been after him after easily winning his preliminary heat in 51.77 seconds followed by a 50.49 semifinal. “Getting the bronze medal and running 49.56 just seals the deal that a lot of people are after me. Off the top of my head, Florida, Georgia, UTEP, Nebraska and South Carolina have all shown interest so far.”

The BVI has now won medals in three of four IAAF World Athletics Series events. Tahesia Harrigan-Scott won 60m indoor bronze in 2008, the relay quartet of Taylor Hill, Nelda Huggins, Jonel Lacey and Tarika Moses, World Youth Championships bronze in 2013. Harrigan-Scott was also an IAAF World Outdoor Championships 100m semifinalist in 2009.

McMasters’ 49.56 seconds run breaks Antigua and Barbuda Rai Benjamin’s Leeward Islands Record of 49.82 and is .06 off Grenada’s Shane Charles’ OECS record of 49.51 from 2006.

McMaster and Grenada’s Anderson Peters are the only OECS athletes winning World Jr. Championships medals-the first pair of males in the region to ever do so at the championships-after Peters grabbed Javelin Throw bronze with a personal best and national record throw of 79.65m.

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