Harrigan-Scott, Kelly In IAAF World Indoor Championships – A First

By the BVIAA

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Coach Winston Potter and Ashley Kelly at the NACAC Championships Photo: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Coach Winston Potter and Ashley Kelly at the NACAC Championships Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

The Lone Ranger is not alone anymore. For the first time in its history, the BVI will have two athletes competition at the IAAF World Indoor Championships.

Veteran Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, a 2008 bronze medalist, is in her fourth championships and will contest the 60m dash will be joined by Ashley Kelly, who will see action in the 400m.

The 15th edition will be held in Portland, Oregon, March 15-17. Kelly will see action on Friday and Harrigan-Scott get into the blocks on Saturday.

Harrigan-Scott said she’s excited about having Kelly at World Indoors as she has been the lone ranger. “I know our county has the talent and the athletes to qualify, so to see it starting to happen at this level, it’s the start of something great and something that’s going to continue happening on a consistent basis,” she predicted. “This is just the first of many. The door was opened up and I think Ashley is going to have a phenomenal season. She has been running really spectacular and I think we are going to go out there and have a great showing.”

Harrigan-Scott said this year is more about fun and not focusing on indoors as her major goal is outdoors with indoors being a bonus and her training has been going extremely well. “I’ve been working on the different phases to transition to the 100m because that’s my optimal race and so far, so good,” she said. “It has been one of my fastest indoor seasons for the last two years and I feel very confident about it. My strength level is definitely up, I think I can handle the rounds and it’s just to make sure I execute.”

She’s taking a 7.20 seconds season’s best into the meet and said her competitions this year have been really spread out unlike in past World Championships, where she raced consistently indoors. This time around, she has four competitions under her belt.

“I feel really good and I’m feeling really strong,” Harrigan-Scott stated. “I think everything is going to come together during the World Championships. I’ve been training really well and gearing up towards it, everything should work out really well. I’m at peace with myself.”

A 2008 bronze medalist, a 2010 finalist, she ran 7.17 seconds in 2014 – the same time as Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown who got the eighth and final spot. From that experience she said you can’t leave it up to the clock but have to put yourself in the position. “Once there’s an opportunity for someone else to choose another person, then you basically took yourself out the equation,” she noted. “This year, I’m going to ensure I give it my all and make sure there’s no second guesses whether I should go to the next round.”

Kelly said her main goal is to perform well and do what she has been doing in practices. “My goal is to take each round one at a time and do what I have to do to get through each round,” she stated. “Then hopefully, what I want will happen, so I’m looking for a good performance.”

Kelly has run personal best over 60, 200 and 400m this season and said with no school to concentrate on and she has been getting adequate rest and meet her different Doctor’s appointments. “I’m trusting the people I have around me and they really have my best interest,” she said.  “Some of the things I’ve done-personal bests so early-has been a surprise. I wasn’t expecting much. I was just going out and attacking different parts of my race, so focusing on certain things really did help me in getting personal bests so I’m really happy.”

Three Records Fall in Boston and Arizona Indoor Competitions

By Dean Greenaway/BVIAA

Sprint Tech quartet of Tarika "Tinkerbell" Moses, left, Beyonce DeFreitas, Karene King and Lakeisha "Mimi" Warner, became the first BVI women to run a 4 x 400m Relay indoors and established a record of 3:45.34. Photo: Provided

Sprint Tech quartet of Tarika “Tinkerbell” Moses, left, Beyonce DeFreitas, Karene King and Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, became the first BVI women to run a 4 x 400m Relay indoors and established a record of 3:45.34. Photo: Provided

Three indoor records were set during a busy weekend for BVI athletes in Boston and Arizona, marking the fourth straight week a record had been broken. Records were established for 13 straight weeks in 2015.

Competing at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic on Friday, Ashley Kelly kicked off the banner weekend that saw BVI athletes winning several heats of the competition and being among the Top 10 performances.

Kelly ran 23.69 seconds to win the third heat of the 200m with the competition’s second best time, ahead of Karene King’s 23.92, to claim King’s 2-year old record of 23.73, also established in Boston. Kelly was second in her 400m heat and fifth overall in 53.47 seconds, a season’s best effort. Her time is second to Chantel Malone’s indoor mark of 53.23.

To wrap up Friday’s competition, the Sprint Tech quartet of Tarika “Tinkerbell” Moses, Beyonce DeFreitas, King and Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, became the first BVI foursome assembled for an indoor 4x400m Relay. They won the third heat, beating Boston College by two seconds as well as Morgan State and Manhattan in the process, with a time of 3 minutes 45.34 seconds. The time was the sixth best mark of the competition and established a BVI record in the process.

In other individual competition, Moses outdistanced the field to win the 500m overall with a time of one minute 11.60. Warner-who won heat 5-placed fifth overall in 1:13.43, followed in sixth by teammate Jonel Lacey’s 1:13.72 in winning the seventh heat. Judine Lacey took the 10th heat in 1:16.00.

DeFreitas was second in her 200m heat in 24.53 seconds and L’T’Sha Fahie- won her 60m section in 7.54 seconds-which stood up as the meet’s second best mark was also second in the 200m in 24.98.

In Saturday’s male competition, K’Cei Moses ran 7.09 seconds to win the ninth heat of the 60m dash, while Rikkoi Bratwaithe was eight in the second heat in 7.00. Moses won section 26 of the 200m in 22.25 seconds, while Brathwaite ran 22.36 for second in Section 15. Josh Hill won the 16th heat of the 500m with a time of 1:08.37.

Record throw in Arizona

Central Arizona College sophomore Tynelle Gumbs, upped her Weight Throw record from 17.28m to 17.84m, in her 2016 debut, to win the Paradise Valley Community College Indoor meet in Phoenix. The mark qualified her for Jr. College Indoor Nationals. Twin sister Trevia was fourth with a heave of 15.27m. Trevia finished fourth in the Shot Put with a fourth round throw of 13.81m.

Eldred Henry used a 17.56m effort to win the Shot Put and booked a ticket to the Jr. College Nationals. He was second in the Weight Throw with a 15.62m heave ensuring he’ll see action at Nationals in a second event.

Kyron McMaster made his collegiate debut for Central Arizona, with a second place finish in the 400m in 48.93 seconds. He will join Gumbs, Henry and South Plains College’s Taylor Hill who qualified in the 60m, at March 4-5 JUCO Nationals in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

St. Augustine Jr. Khari Herbert won this 200m heat in 22.49 seconds at the Camel City Invite in North Carolina. He led off the 4x400m Relay with a 48.77 seconds split, helping them to second overall with a time of 3 minutes 14.79 seconds.

In Jamaica, Nelda Huggins was second in her heat and fourth overall in the Queen’s Grace Kennedy Invitational 200m. She debuted with a time of 24.51 seconds.

At the Houston Invitational and Multis, sprinter Tahesia Harrigan-Scott ran a season’s best 7.30 seconds to finish third in the 60m dash. She ran 7.36 in the semis.

BVIAA DEVELOPMENT MEET #7 RESULTS

January 15, 2016

ALL TIMES ARE FULLY ELECTRONIC (no wind gauge)

80M

U.9 females:

  1.    Tamri Thomas 12.20; 2) Khloe Harrigan- 12.80; 3) Shyra Stoutt- 13.09; 4) Taryn Augustine-13.40; 5) Riley Brewley- 13.90; 6) Kaylee Tucker- 18.20.

U.11 females:

1) ASIA McMaster – 12.69; 2) Zaria Johnney – 12.93; 3) Nejma Robinson – 12.94; 4) SHANIQUE GLASGOW – 13.06; 5) SHARIKA HENDRICKSON – 13.67; 6) KENNIQUA GRATE – 14.61

100M

U.13 females:

1) Akeela Mcmaster – 14.26; 2) Cassidy Williams- 14.29; 3) Kaelyah Liburd – 14.36; 4) Ariyah Smith – 14.50; 5) Aniyah Findlay – 15.27; 6) D’naesia Springette – 15.32; 7) Reeiah Woodley – 15.35

U.15 FEMALES:

1) Xiomara Malone 13.40; 2) Crystal Mitchel – 14..59

U.18 FEMALES:

1) Britney Williams- 13.30; 2) Naya Penn – 13.53; 3) Kala Penn 13.55; 4)Arianna Hayde – 13.70

300M

U.13 females:

1)KAELYNN LIBURD – 46.16; 2) Kenyatta Grate – 48.43; 3) Anaya Findlay – 49.37; 4) Cassidy Williams-50.82

U.15 females:

1) Tashira Edwards – 42.06; 2) Akrisa Eristee – 42.14; 3) Alisha Hayde- 44.57

JAVLEIN THROW

FEMALES:

1kg: 1) Kiwana Emmanuel- 28.60; 2) Javlyn Frett – 28.55

Shot Put

4kg: 1) BRITNEY PETERS – 9.45

LONG JUMP

1)   Kayla Penn – 5.19m; 2) Arianna Hayde – 5.08m; 3) Xiomara Malone- 4.95m; 4) Ariyah Smith- 4.09m; 5) Kenyatta Grate- 3.67m

MALES:

80M

U.9:

1)Tiondre Frett – 13.03; 2) Latriel Williams – 13.07; 3) Ty’rique Charles 14.94

U.11

1) D’lano Hodge – 12.02; 2) Kshawn Martin – 12.40; 3) Johari Lacey- 12.49; 4) Sean Samuel – 12.52; 5) JAYQOI HOPKINS – 14.52

100M

U.13

1) Kyba Dawson – 13.98; 2) Carlyiek Benjamin – 14.01; 3) Tkhoy Stevens – 14.61; 4) Jaleel Smith – 17.48

U.15

1) Malaki Smith – 12.04; 2) WANYAE BELL – 13.54; 3)J’mari Duhaney- 14.90

U.18

1) Akeem Bradshaw – 11.44; 2) Keanu George- 12.13; 3) Josh Lynch – 12.42; 4) Osiah Vanterpool – 12.45; 5) TYRIQUE BRADSHAW – 13.06; 6) Ajaalee Malone – 13.12

1200M

U.13

1) Jaden Augustine- 5:01.56

300M

U.11

1) Kaleem Lettsome – 48.73; 2) Sean Samuel – 49.46; 3) Kshawn Martin- 51.47

U.13

1) T’khoy Stevens – 49.67; 2) AJAALI MALONE – 51.76

U.15

1) WANYEA BELLE – 44.91; 2) J’MARI DUHANEY – 46.23

400M

U.18 TO OPEN

1) Mikkel Bassue – 52.17; 2) Adriano Gumbs – 52.18; 3) Valique Graham – 52.43; 4) GEVAN SMITH – 54.60; 5) Khoy Vanterpool – 58.90; 6) Keanu George – 59.00; 7) Ryan Joseph- 1:00.55

Shot Put

5kg: 1) Djimon Gumbs – 15.58; 2) Diamate Gumbs – 12.50; 3)Deshoy Ward- 10.40M; 4) Dejahni Ward- 5.90

7.25kg: 1) KEVIN VANTERPOOL – 10.44

LONG JUMP

1)   Akeem Bradshaw – 6.46M; 2) Andre Turnbull – 5.88; 3) Malaki Smith- 5.30; 4) Vadley Sylvester-4.69; 5) Kybah Dawson- 4.32; 6) Dlano Hodge- 3.81

DISCUS Throw

1) Djimon Gumbs- 46.50; 2) Deshoy Ward- 34.45; 3) Kevin Vanterpool- 33.05; 4) Diamante Gumbs-32.40; 5)Dejahni Ward-15.70

BVI Athletes Shine at Home and Overseas

bpetersweb

Photo courtesy of Dean Greenaway

By BVI Milesplit

Virgin Gorda’s Raw Skillz Track Club member Britney Peters might be new to track and field, but not to British Virgin Islands sports.

The soon to be 19 year old is a Soccer goalie and has played on the BVI Jr. and Sr. Women National teams. She plays with the Avengers in the BVI Football Association League.

Peters took up track last April after the 2015 Soccer season ended after joining the Raw Skillz Track Club. She had her first competition in Miami last June and threw the Javelin 35.26m. It was the fifth best mark by a BVI female.

“I wanted to maintain my fitness, get stronger for soccer and I wanted to keep training so I wouldn’t fall behind because I’m to try and get out of here by September on a scholarship,” said Peters who started Soccer at 12.

During Friday night’s BVI Athletics Association Development Series meet, Peters heaved the 600g spear out to 37.39m, throwing into a strong cross wind. That mark vaulted her No. 3 on the BVI All Time List.

“I know I have the ability to do good,” she said. “I have the arm strength and my hands are good. Of all the events I’ve done-800m, 1500m, Shot Put, Long Jump, Javelin Throw-I like the Javelin best. I find it interesting.”

Harrigan-Scott lead NY winners

Sprinter Tahesia Harrigan-Scott tuned up for the Mar 17-20 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Ore., with a 60m victory in the Great Dane Classic in New York on Saturday. She had a winning time of 7.33 seconds, after running 7.39 in the prelims. Harrigan-Scott, who won the bronze at the 2008 championships, was a 2010 finalist and missed the 2012 final by .0001 has qualified for Indoor Worlds for a fourth successive time.

Karene King finished seventh in the same race in 7.62 after 7.59 in the prelims. She won her 200m heat in 24.15 seconds to finish second overall. IAAF World Youth Championships semifinalist L’T’Sha Fahie, had non advancing times of  7.65 and 25.43 in the 60 and 200m respectively.

Ashley Kelly won the 400m in 54.96 seconds. She’s coming off a 60m personal best of 7.46 seconds last week also in New York, becoming the BVI’s second best performer at the distance behind Harrigan-Scott.

Tarika “Tinker Bell” Moses won her heat in one minute 13.21 seconds and placed third overall in the 500m. Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner was fifth overall in 1:14.88, after winning her heat. Jonel Lacey also won her section with a time of 1:16.28, the 11th best mark of the competition.

400 Indoor Record for Herbert

St. Augustine Jr. Khari Herbert lowered his BVI Indoor Record 400m record from 47.92 seconds to 47.71, in finishing third overall in the Virginia Tech Invitational on Saturday.

In Alabama, Ronique Todman ran 7.20 seconds in the 60m dash and Adaejah Hodge, 9.14 second in the 9-10 division.

BVIAA DEVELOPMENT MEET #5 RESULTS

January 15, 2016

ALL TIMES ARE FULLY ELECTRONIC (no wind gauge)

80M

U.9 females:

  1. SHYRA STOUTT-15.54; 2, REILLY BREWLEY – 14.75

U.11 females:

1) SHANNIA JOHNSON – 12.12; 2) ASIA McMaster – 12.36; 3) NEJMA ROBINSON – 12.70; 4) JADA JOHN-LEWIS – 12.98; 5) D’NEAH HODGE – 13.00;  6) SHANIQUE GLASGOW – 13.09; 7) JAH’KYLA MORTON – 13.11; 8) ACAIDA FRETT – 13.14; 9) SHARIKA HENDRICKSON – 14.26; 10) KENNIQUA GRATE – 14.53

100M

U.13 females:

1) ABRIEL MAGLIORE – 14.28; 2) ARIYAH SMITH – 14.37; 3) JAHTIAVIYAH WILLIAMS – 14.65; 4) KENYATTA GRATE – 14.66; 5) REEIAH WOODLEY – 15.19; 6) GANIYAH FINDLAY – 15.35; 7) NICKERIA DRUMMOND – 15.44; 8) KAYLIA BRATHWAITE – 15.67; 9) DIAMONAE THOMAS – 16.01; 10) BRITNEY MENDEZ – 16.03; 11) TASIA GLASGOW – 16.30; 12) SHENEAH HODGE – 17.02

U.15 FEMALES:

1) TASHIRA EDWARDS – 13.59; 2) AKRISA ERISTEE – 13.80; 3) ANGELICA PENI – 14.58; 4) SYMMERA FORBES – 15.39

U.18 FEMALES:

1) BEYONCE DEFRAITAS – 12.56; 2) ZAKHIRA FRETT – 12.90; 3) SH’KAIDA LAVACIA – 13.26; 4) NAYA PENN – 13.42

Record 27 Nominated For Athletes of The Year Presented By Sol

By BVIAA

NACAC President Victor Lopez Photo Credit: Todd VanSickle

NACAC President Victor Lopez Photo Credit: Todd VanSickle

Despite uncertainty surrounding the start of the 2015 season because of repair work planned for the Mondo track at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds, BVI track and field athletes turned in stellar performances during the 2015 season.

As BVI athletes put those early season challenges behind, there was an unparalleled run of National Records in the BVI Athletics Association 44-year history, where for 13 consecutive weeks, starting on January 23, 2015, some level of National Youth, Jr. Senior Record was established.

Against that backdrop, a record 27 athletes are vying for the coveted Athlete of the Year awards presented by Sol in Youth, Junior and Senior divisions. The forthcoming event is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 29, at the Moorings. Donation is $50 single and $85 per couple.

Sol will also dole out awards to athletes who have established a National Records that stood at season’s end. In all, there were 15 National Records established during the season.

During the evening, the Most Outstanding Athletes Awards from U9 through the Open Divisions in track events, field events and combined events will be recognized as well as the Most Improved Athlete, and the Comeback Athlete of the Year.

The Coach of the Year will also be named. Awards for Road Racing will also be presented and three early contributors to the development of the organization will receive the BVIAA’s Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Following are the respective nominees in the different divisions.

2015 Athletes of The Year Nominees presented by Sol
2015 Youth Female Athlete of the Year
Beyonce DeFreitas, A’Keela McMaster Alisha Hayde, Ariyah Smith, Asia McMaster

2015 Youth Male Athlete of the Year
Kori Penn, Sean Samuel, Malakai Smith, T’Koy Stevens, M’Kori Crabbe

2015 Jr. Male Athlete of the Year
Kryon McMaster, Akeem Bradshaw, K’Cei Moses, D’Jimon Gumbs

2015 Jr. Female Athlete of the Year
Trevia Gumbs, Tynelle Gumbs, Nelda Huggins, Taylor Hill, Deya Erickson, L’T’sha Fahie

2015 Sr. Male Athlete of the Year
Khari Herbert, Eldred Henry, Shaquoy Stephens

2015 Sr. Female Athlete of the Year
Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Karene King, Ashley Kelly, Chantel Malon

2015 Most Outstanding Track & Field Performance Nominees

2015 Most Outstanding Combined Track Events Male Athlete
Akeem Bradshaw, Kyron McMaster, Khari Herbert

2015 Most Outstanding Combined Field Events Male Athlete
Akeem Bradshaw, Eldred Henry, Dylan Moses, Kevin Vanterpool

2015 Most Outstanding Combined Track Events Female Athlete
Ashley Kelly, Karene King, Taylor Hill, Nelda Huggins

2015 Most Outstanding Combined Field Events Female Athlete
Kala Penn, Tynelle Gumbs, Trevia Gumbs, Arianna Hayde

2015 Most Outstanding Combined Events Male Athlete
Eldred Henry

2015 Most Outstanding Men’s Open Track Athlete
Shaquoy Stephens, Khari Herbert, Tarique Moses

2015 Most Outstanding Women’s Open Track Athlete
Karene King, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Ashley Kelly

2015 Most Outstanding Men’s Open Field Athlete
Keron Stoute, Eldred Henry

2015 Most Outstanding Women’s Open Field Athlete
Chantel Malone

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Track Athlete
Ronique Todman, Kyron McMaster, Akeem Bradshaw

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-20 Track Athlete
Taylor Hill, Nelda Huggins, Lakeisha Warner, Jonel Lacey, Tarika Moses, Deya Erickson

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Field Athlete
Dylan Moses, Akeem Bradshaw, Kevin Vanterpool, Tahj Malone

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-20 Field Athlete
Tynelle Gumbs, Trevia Gumbs, Javlyn Frett

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-18 Track Athlete
Johnt’a Charles, K’Cei Moses, Malique Wattley

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-18 Track Athlete
L’Tsha Fahie, Shaniah Caul, Kala Penn

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-18 Field Athlete
Djimon Gumbs, Diamante Gumbs, Tyrique Bradshaw

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-18 Field Athlete
Kala Penn, Arianna Hayde, Akira Phillips

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Track Athlete
Chaz Fahie, Ajaalee Malone, Malakai Romney

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Track Athlete
Xiomara Malone, Zara Brown, Beyonce DeFreitas, Tashara Edwards

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Field Athlete
J’Quaan Smith, Ajaalee Malone, Kawa Williams

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Field Athlete
Xiomara Malone, Z’Niah Hutchinson, Dominique Moses, Tashara Edwards

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under 13 Field Athlete
Malakai Smith, Kybah Dawson, Sha’el Lavacia

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under 13 Field Athlete
Aryiah Smith, Alisha Hayde, Chassidy George, Kaelyah Liburd

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-13 Track Athlete
Sh’ael Lavacia, Kybah Dawson, Wanyae Bell, Malakai Smith

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-13 Track Athlete
Alisha Hayde, D’Neigh Williams, Ariyah Smith, Shymmera Forbes

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under-11 Track Athlete
T’Koy Stevens, M’Kori Crabbe, Jahari Lacey, Kaleem Lettsome

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under-11 Track Athlete
Jahtivya Williams, Akeela McMaster, A’Deja Hodge, Keanjah Roberts
2
015 Most Outstanding Boys Under 11 Field Athlete
Kaleem Lettsome, T’Khoy Stevens, M’Kori Crabbe

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under 11 Field Athlete
A’Keela McMaster, D’Neah Hodge, Adeajah Hodge

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under 9 Field Athlete
Asia McMaster, Shannia Johnson, Jada John-Lewis

2015 Most Outstanding Girls Under 9 Track Athlete
Shannia Johnson, Asia McMaster, Jada John-Lewis, Jah’Kyla Morton

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under 9 Field Athlete
Sean Samuel, Latriel Williams, Kori Penn

2015 Most Outstanding Boys Under 9 Track Athlete
Kori Penn, Sean Samuel, Shamoi Dore

Premier Dental Collegiate Athlete of the Year Nominees
Khari Herbert, Trevia Gumbs, Eldred Henry, Tynelle Gumbs

2015 Road Racing Nominees (Unofficial) the 10th BVI Half Marathon will determine the rest of the Nominees.

Road Race Series Male Athlete of the Year
Julius Farley, Reuben Stoby

Road Race Series Female Athlete of the Year
Rosmond Johnson

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott places 5th in prelims at IAAF World Champs

By BVIAA

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, right, Guam's Regine Tugade, Ukraine's Olesya Povkh and Trinidad and Tobago's Semoy Hackett competing in the Women's 100m Heat 5 in Beijing, China. Photo: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, right, Guam’s Regine Tugade, Ukraine’s Olesya Povkh and Trinidad and Tobago’s Semoy Hackett competing in the Women’s 100m Heat 5 in Beijing, China. Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

BEIJING, China – Putting a series of early season issues behind that affected her performances, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott of the British Virgin Islands came into the 15th IAAF World Track and Field Championships here in Beijing, China, riding a wave of unmatched performances in her career, an indication that she was ready.

During the recent Pan Am Games and the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships in Canada and Costa Rica, all her 100m preliminary round races had been run well under 11.22 seconds. And, all her performances were 11.28 or better.

Returning to the iconic Beijing Bird’s Nest National Stadium where she competed during the 2008 Olympic Games and had subsequent runs since, the BVI’s 100 and 200m standard bearer was eyeing a spot in tonight’s 100m semifinals.

However, she wasn’t on her game and placed an unlooked for non-advancing fifth in her heat in 11.47 seconds.

“I lost it from my first step out the blocks because my body collapsed,” Harrigan-Scott disappointedly reflected afterwards. “I felt like I was fighting my entire drive phase trying to get my body in the right position and stay in the race and it just went downhill from there.”

Harrigan-Scott said her performance indicators coming in were good and showing promises of things to come. “I was in no way shape or form expecting the results I produced today,” she stated after qualifying for her sixth straight championships but turned in her worst result of them all. “Practices and race preparations felt good but it just didn’t come together today. I’m nowhere 11.47 shape. Negative wind or not, practices were going well and indicated that I should have ran a personal best.”

Her focus now turns to Rio 2016 for the Olympic Games as she has already put down a qualifying mark. She said she doesn’t have to alter any of her training plans leading up to her third successive Olympic Games. “I will do the same things I have been doing to get me here,” she pointed out. “Wouldn’t change anything. I dropped the ball at this meet.”

Next up is the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Eddie Lovett who will see action in the 110m Hurdles prelims during Wednesday morning’s session. Teammate Laverne Jones’ Ferrette will compete in the 200m prelims later in the evening.

Chantel Malone will take to the Long Jump pit on Thursday morning.

Chantel Malone secures Silver in NACAC Championships

By BVIAA

Chantel Malone leaps to secure Silver in 2nd NACAC Snr Championships and set new National Record and PB. Photo: Dean "The Spostsman" Greenaway

Chantel Malone leaps to secure Silver in 2nd NACAC Snr Championships and set new National Record and PB. Photo: Dean “The Spostsman” Greenaway

Long Jumper Chantel Malone of the British Virgin Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Eddie Lovett, won silver and bronze medals respectively, in the 2nd North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Track and Field Championships that wrapped up in San Jose, Costa Rica, last night.

Malone cut the sand with a personal best leap of 6.69m on her opening jump to secure the silver medal behind the USA’s Quansheka Burks, who opened with the same 6.69 mark as Malone, then leapt 6.93m, the ninth best jump in the world this year to secure the gold medal. Malone’s mark was .01cm off qualifying for the IAAF World Championships and improved her 6.65 National Record. The USVI’s Wanetta Kirby placed eight after hitting 5.90 on her last attempt, the same position she finished in the High Jump, competing both simultaneously.

“It’s always good to accomplish something you have been dreaming about,” Malone said. “I wanted the gold and I definitely wanted a qualifier, but, I’m very pleased with my performance today.”

Malone, who hadn’t been jumping well until the Pan Am Games, said the mindset she had when she won the CAC Games gold in November, returned. “I’m happy that it did,” she stated. “For example, in the Pan Am Games, I had two fouls going in to the last jump before the final and normally, I would have freaked out. But, in my mind, I said it only takes one jump to get into the final. I kept positive and that’s what I did today too.”

Lovett broke his USVI 110m national record in the process of claiming a bronze medal despite a bad landing off the 10th hurdle, finishing in 13.31 seconds to lower his 2-year old best of 13.39, narrowly missing the silver medal by .01, taken by Cuba’s Jhoanis Portilla in 13.30.

“The race felt great, the only thing I wish I would have done better, which I believe cost me a second or first place medal, was coming off the last hurdle,” Lovett explained, noting he’s seeing difference from using a seven step approach to the first barrier. “I’m able to use my speed, but the end of the race is something I’ve been trying to fix, since the beginning of my career. The more I push the envelope, the more I’ll be able to stand tall and finish with the rest of them.”

Lovett dedicated the race to his sister who was killed last month and his father and said he felt them in the race. “They pushed me to be able to do what I had to do today and I hope I made them proud,” he said. “I know I have the support of my agent, the Virgin Islands community, my family, everybody involved and I thank everybody for their prayers.”

The BVI’s Tahesia Harrigan-Scott just missed the 100m podium by .06 seconds when she placed fourth in 11.28 seconds. USVI’s Laverne Jones-Ferrette was seventh in 11.53.

“I felt really good and I think I ran a really good race unfortunately, I didn’t end up on the medal podium, but that’s life, so now my focus turns to Worlds,” Harrigan-Scott said. “I loved my start and I loved my transition, my ending, I felt it was still good in my opinion. There are some things I need to work on in the last 10 meters, but I’ll fix it.”

Jones said besides not getting a good start in the 100m, she thought she executed well, then had a season’s best of 23.51 seconds in the 200m on Sunday. “I’m glad to come out healthy,” she said. “It wasn’t a doubt that I would have made the 200 final. I’m in shape, but it’s mostly race sharpness I needed.”

USVI Long Jumper Leon Hunt was seventh with a leap of 7.48m while teammate Muhammid Halim was next with 7.36.

“I had two legal jumps in the prelims and no legal jumps in the finals and all the good jumps happened in the finals,” Hunt said. “I have to work on that. The same thing has been happening the whole season.”

Eldred Henry of the BVI was fifth in the Shot Put with a heave of 18.49m on Sunday.

After Rare Feat, Harrigan-Scott Focusing on Pan Am Games 100m

By BVIAA

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott in action during the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott in action during the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

Every athlete has a goal of competing in the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships. Some never get the chance, others once even twice.

For Tahesia Hariggan-Scott it’s totally different. She’s coming off winning the US Track and Field Club Championships in New York on July 11. More so, her winning 100m time of 11.14 seconds with a legal wind limit of 2.0 meters per second, qualified her for a fifth successive IAAF World Championships.

This year however, was the latest in her career, that she has met the standard dating back to 2005.

“I’m very relieved that I’ve qualified for worlds,” she said. “It was tough. But now, it’s one less stress to think about and to go out and qualify with the time I did, I’m very relieved. But, to be really honest, I was feeling okay at the beginning of this season, though I had some downfalls with injuries or slight issues with recurring injuries, so that kind of set me back a little bit,” reflected the BVI sprinter from a country of less than 30,000 inhabitants.

She said the road was a little tougher, because in practices she felt like she ran okay, but when she went to a meet, she ran terrible times. “That was playing on my mind a little bit,” she noted. “I knew it was always there and it was just making some corrections. Once they fell into place, I knew there’d be a big drop in my time. It was being patient and trusting in the process.”

With a season’s best of 11.40 before the 11.14, which is .01 off her best and which she hadn’t been close to since 2011, Harrigan-Scott said it’s a confidence boost heading into Pan Ams and feels that her body is finally in synch with her mind and everything seems easier. If she’s not doing something right, her body tells her she said. “It is a confidence booster and I’ll try to come out and win a medal,” she said. “That’s the goal and to continue to drop my times and execute the race that I know I’m capable of doing.”

Since injuring her quads two years ago, Harrigan-Scott said she has developed some bad habits that she and her husband-coach have been trying to correct, including kicking back, which is less than what it was before. She said she taught her body how to run without the pain but in the process it caused poor race execution and resulted in slower times.

“Everything seem to be coming into place at the right time,” she said. “Yes, it would have been good to qualify for worlds earlier in the season, but it’s falling into place at the right time and it’s a blessing in disguise.”

Track and Field athletes up next for Pan Am Games

Track and field athletes/coaches as they arrived at the Toronto 2015 village were met by Swimmer, Elinah Phillip and coach Tracy Bradshaw.  Pictured L-R – Tracy Bradshaw, Winston Potter, Chantel Malone, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Elinah Phillip, Eldred Henry, Xavier Dag Samuels, Anthony Dougherty, and Karene King. Photo: Provided

Track and field athletes/coaches as they arrived at the Toronto 2015 village were met by
Swimmer, Elinah Phillip and coach Tracy Bradshaw.
Pictured L-R – Tracy Bradshaw, Winston Potter, Chantel Malone, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott, Elinah Phillip, Eldred Henry, Xavier Dag Samuels, Anthony Dougherty, and Karene King. Photo: Provided

BVI’s track and field athletes arrived in Canada last Wednesday, July 15 to prepare for the start of their competitions at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games.

On Tuesday, July 21 Tahesia Harrigan-Scott will be running in the 100m and Eldred Henry will be throwing for the territory in the Shot Put Finals. On Thursday, July 23 Karene King will take on the 200m and Chantel Malone will be competing in the Long Jump while Eldred Henry will compete in the Discus Finals.

Toronto 2015 kicked off on Friday, July 10 with the Opening Ceremony in which squash player, Joe Chapman led the VI delegation as the flag bearer. The following day, Joe marked the start of the territory’s participation in the Pan Am Games with his match in the Men’s Squash Singles against Alonso Escudero of Peru. The game was tough and Joe succumbed to Escudero in 3 sets,  11-7, 11-7, 11-2.

Next up was swimmer, Elinah Phillip who took part in the 100m Freestyle on July 14. She swam a time of 1:00.72 and finished 24th in the event but was unable to advance to finals. Elinah followed this performance with a race in her favoured event, the 50m Freestyle. While Elinah swam a season’s best of 27.37s and finished 21st overall in the event, her score was insufficient to advance her to the finals. Soaking up this experience, Elinah prepares for the World Championship in Russia in a few weeks.

These competitions serve as qualifiers for RIO 2016 Olympic Games.

Click here for the complete schedule of competitions and results.

V.I. Athletes to Compete in World Youth, CAC Age Group Championships

By  BVIAA

US Virgin Islands Nia Jack, left and the BVI's L'T'Sha Fahie will see 100m action in the IAAF World Youth Championships on Thursday. They have bests of 11.86 and 11.85 seconds respectively. Photo: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

US Virgin Islands Nia Jack, left and the BVI’s L’T’Sha Fahie will see 100m action in the IAAF World Youth Championships on Thursday. They have bests of 11.86 and 11.85 seconds respectively. Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

Two groups of U.S. and British Virgin Islands Under 18 athletes are slated to compete in Cali, Colombia and Port of Spain Trinidad, this week.

Settling into Colombia today after arriving last night, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Nia Jack and Rodney Griffin along with the BVI’s L’T’Sha Fahie, all of whom competed in the Carifta Games in St. Kitts earlier this year, will begin competing in the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, in the U18 global championships that runs from Wednesday through Sunday.

Both Jack and Griffin are coming off running winning medals in the Pan American Youth Championships last month, which were also held in Cali, as a final test run for the World Youth Championships, which targets 16-17 aged athletes.

Griffin, who will be the first to see action in the 400m prelims on Wednesday, enters the competition with a 49.13 seconds career best. Jack, coming off a personal best of 11.86 seconds to win the Pan Am Youth Championship gold medal, will run in the 100m preliminaries on Thursday.

Fahie, who was fifth in the Carifta Games 100m, established a personal best of 11.85 seconds and along with Jack are the fastest U18 Girls this season in the greater Virgin Islands. Fahie ran a 200m lifetime best of 24.80 seconds and will also see action on Friday in the prelims.

CAC Age Group Championships
Later in the week, USVI and BVI athletes will depart on Friday for Trinidad to compete in the CAC Age Group Championships on Saturday and Sunday. The BVI hosted the 2011 edition.

The multi-event discipline caters to 11-12 and 13-14 athletes who will compete in five and seven events respectively, with points awarded for each performance towards a cumulative score.

The championships cater to eight athletes, two male and two females in each of the age groups. During the championships, athletes compete for individual awards as well as male and female age division and overall team awards.

The 11-12 Boys and Girls will contest the 60m dash, Long Jump, High Jump, Baseball Throw and 800m for girls and the boys will run 1000m. The 13-14 division athletes will run the 80m dash, 60m Hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump, Baseball Throw, Shot Put and the 1000m for girls while the boys will tackle the 1200m.

The USVI athletes are: 11-12 Girls: T’Yannah Lake and T’Anna Lake: 11-12 Boy: Makari Looby: 13-14 Girls: Mikeala Smith and Jusenia Tuitt. 13-14 Boy: Valence Modeste. Officials: Keith Smith, Kim Stanley, Chearoll and Yukia James.

Six athletes will represent the BVI in the competition. 11-12 Girls: Alyah Smith and Alisha Hayde. Boys: Malachi Smith and Sha’el Lavacia. 13-14 Girls: Xiorara Malone and Tashara Edwards. Officials: Ralston Henry, Burt Dorsett and Ericca Frederick.

Harrigan-Scott World Championships bound
Veteran sprinter Tahesia Harrigan-Scott booked her fifth straight ticket to the IAAF World Championships on Saturday, after winning the USA Track and Field Club Championships in Icahn, NY. Harrigan-Scott won the 100m in 11.14 seconds, just .01 off her career best and will compete in Beijing, China, Aug 22-30. She also won her semi in 11.45. Her next competition will be in the Pan Am Games in Toronto. Ashley Kelly finished fourth in the 200m in 23.86 seconds after running 11.72 in the 100m finals. She ran 11.83 in the heats.

VI’s Chantel Malone tops T&T Long Jump Championship

By VINO

Chantel Malone recorded a leap of 6.51m to easily claim top spot in the Long Jump ahead of Josanne Joseph’s 5.56m second place leap at the NGC-Sagicor National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Open Track and Field Championships in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday June 28, 2015. Photo: Provided

Chantel Malone recorded a leap of 6.51m to easily claim top spot in the Long Jump ahead of Josanne Joseph’s 5.56m second place leap at the NGC-Sagicor National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Open Track and Field Championships in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday June 28, 2015. Photo: Provided

Virgin Islands long jumper, Chantel Malone leaped to victory at the NGC-Sagicor National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Open Track and Field Championships in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday June 28, 2015.

Malone recorded a leap of 6.51m to easily claim top spot in the Long Jump ahead of Josanne Joseph’s 5.56m second place leap.

In the Women’s 100m, Kelly-Ann Baptiste led the way with a 10.84 seconds golden run in Saturday’s final. The clocking also equalled her own Trinidad and Tobago record, whilst Tahesia Harrigan-Scott finished 6th with a time of 11.46 and Taylor Hill, 11th in 11.93 seconds.

The BVI pair had both qualified for the final with runs of 11.52 and 11.92 seconds.

In the 200m ‘B’ final, Karene King and Ashley Kelly grabbed a one, two finish with times of 23.26 and 23.36 seconds respectively.

Kelly also grabbed third in the 400m with a run of 53.76 to finish behind Kineke Alexander’s 52.99 and Jenille Bellelli’s 53.39.

Also on Saturday, Renny Quow clocked 44.90 seconds to establish a new Championship record in the men’s 400m, and Guadeloupe’s Christelle Laurent returned a time of 19 minutes, 00.61 seconds in the women’s 5,000m.

On Friday, Emmanuel Stewart produced a 52.49 metres effort to set a new Championship record in the men’s hammer throw, and Kenyan Kenneth Rotich topped the men’s 10,000m field in 30:48.25.

On Sunday, Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott landed the spear 84.84 metres to win the men’s javelin and break his own Championship record.

The other record-breaker at the three-day meet was Marsha Mark-Baird.

On Saturday and Sunday, the 41-year-old athlete accumulated 4,793 points to strike gold in the women’s heptathlon, erasing Natoya Baird’s 4,679-point Championship record from the books in the process.

Baptiste, Quow, Stewart, Walcott and Mark-Baird are all expected to represent T&T at the July 10-26, 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

Baptiste, Quow and Walcott achieved qualifying standards on the weekend, while Stewart and Mark-Baird qualified earlier in the season.

On March 21, in North Carolina, USA, Stewart threw 53.41m to better the 53.00m men’s discus standard.
And on May 13 and 14, 2015 in Utah, USA, Mark-Baird totalled 5,105 points in the women’s heptathlon, more than 200 points better than the 4,900 Pan Am standard in the seven-discipline event.

SUNDAY’S FINALS
Men’s 200m (wind: +1.7)
1 Kyle Greaux (Abilene) 20.42. 2 Rondel Sorrillo (La Brea) 20.50, 3 Dan-Neil Telesford (Neon Trackers) 20.53

Women’s 200m (wind: +2.2)
1 Reyare Thomas (Abilene) 22.97, 2 Kamaria Durant (Simplex) 23.15, 3 Magnolia Howell (unattached) 23.64

Women’s 200m “B” race (wind: +1.8)
1 Karene King (British Virgin Islands) 23.26, 2 Ashley Kelly (British Virgin Islands) 23.36, 3 Ngozi Onwumere (Nigeria) 23.78

Women’s 800m
1 Alena Brooks (Memphis) 2:06.71, 2 Myah Hicks (Memphis) 2:07.66, 3 Dawnel Collymore (Memphis) 2:10.76

Men’s 400m hurdles
1 Jehue Gordon (Memphis) 50.06, 2 Emmanuel Mayers (Rebirth) 50.24, 3 Ruebin Walters (Memphis) 51.82

Women’s 400m hurdles
1 Josanne Lucas (Falcons) 56.76 (56.757), 2 Sparkle McKnight (Memphis) 56.76 (56.759)

Men’s high jump
1 Brendan Williams (Dominica) 2.10m, 2 Omari Benoit (Falcons) 1.90m, 3 Rodney Liverpool (Defence Force) 1.90m

Women’s long jump
1 Chantel Malone (British Virgin Islands) 6.51m (wind: +2.4), 2 Josanne Joseph (Concorde) 5.76m (wind: +3.3), 3 Dannielle Davis (unattached) 5.64m (wind: +2.1)

Women’s shot put
1 Cleopatra Borel (Rebirth) 18.46m, 2 Chelsea James (Falcons) 14.54m, 3 Jaleesa Williams (D’Abadie Progressive) 14.48m

Men’s 4x100m
1 Abilene 40.75, 2 Alpha Athletic 41.02, 3 Defence Force 41.91

Men’s 4x400m
1 Memphis Pioneers 3:13.72, 2 Defence Force 3:14.29, 3 Dovers 3:22.78