Henry wins Mesa Classic Discus Throw Open Division

By VINO
Eldred Henry used a season’s best to win the Mesa Classic Discus Throw Open Division in Arizona last weekend, Saturday April 9, 2016. Photo: Provided

Eldred Henry used a season’s best to win the Mesa Classic Discus Throw Open Division in Arizona last weekend, Saturday April 9, 2016. Photo: Provided

Virgin Islands athlete Eldred Henry used a season’s best to win the Mesa Classic Discus Throw Open Division in Arizona last weekend, Saturday April 9, 2016.

Competing unattached, Henry had a winning throw of 55.35m, then was third in the invitational Shot Put with a 17.75m effort.

At the same competition, Central Arizona sophomore Tynelle Gumbs followed up her recent 56.13m effort in the Hammer Throw with 54.45m heave to place 11th overall in the invitational division. Her series included all throws 50.18m or better.

She was ninth in the Open Discus Throw with a 42.28m mark, which came on her final attempt.

At the Johnson C. Smith Invitational, St Augustine Jr Khari Herbert was fourth in the 400m in 47.69 seconds. Coming off an injury that affected his performance in the final of the NCAA Division II Championships 400m, he opened his outdoor campaign with 47.15 at the Florida Relays last weekend.

Tahesia G. Harrigan-Scott, competing in the Miami Alumni Classic on Saturday, opened the outdoor season with a fifth place finish in the 200m. She was timed in 23.77 seconds.

St Martin & Anguilla competitions

Five of the territory’s 2018 Youth Olympic Games hopefuls, will compete in French St Martin on Saturday April 16, 2016 and in Anguilla on Sunday April 17.

The athletes and their respective events are: Tashara Edwards, 200m; Naya Penn, 100/200m; Zara Brown, 100/200m. Xiomara Malone, Long Jump and High Jump and Z’Niah Hutchinson, Long Jump and High Jump.

Development Series resumes

Following a break in action, the BVI Athletics Association’s Development Series resumes on Friday April 15, 2016 at the A O Shirley Grounds, targeting U9, U11, U13, U15 and Open Division athletes. Competition opens with the Javelin Throw for males and females, followed by the Long Jump targeting U11 through the Open Division.

Running events will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the top eight fastest times advancing to the finals beginning at 7:30 p.m. Events include the 60m for U9 Boys and Girls; U11 Boys and Girls 80m dash followed by the U13, U15 and Open 200m dash. The 60m final is slated for 7:30; the 80m at 7:40 and the 200m at 7:50.

A second meet is scheduled for April 22. Events on the programme will include: 100m U13 through Open. Open 400m; 150m for U9 and U11, Shot Put, U15 to Open; Triple Jump, Open and High Jump, U13 to Open.

Kelly Gets Olympic Games Qualifier In Florida Relays

Photo courtesy of BVI Milesplit

Photo courtesy of BVI Milesplit

By BVI Athletics Association

Ashley Kelly made her outdoor season debut a memorable one by becoming the second BVI athlete qualifying for this summer’s Rio Olympic Games in the 200m while Chantel Malone claimed the Long Jump title also in a season’s best at the Florida Relays.

Kelly finished second in the 200m in 23.17 seconds in the process of lowering the 23.36 she ran last year for the No. 2 mark on the BVI’s All Time List behind Tahesia Harrigan-Scott’s 22.98 from 2007. Kelly returned 35 minutes later and had her fastest 400m time since competing for Illinois, when she covered the oval in 52.95 seconds.

“I think it was a really good way to bounce back from my disappointing performance at indoor worlds and to top it off with a Rio qualifier, I’m really excited about that,” Kelly said. “My goal was to really get a good race, a solid race most of all, and I was hoping I could get a qualifier earlier because of how I was practicing. But after worlds, we tried to take it a bit easy because I have a long season and transitioning from indoor to outdoor.”

Although qualifying for Rio, Kelly said when she saw her 52.95 seconds 400m time she was really excited about it.

“I don’t know why I was excited about the 400 time more than the 200,” she said. “In the 400, I wasn’t thinking of anything else. I just went out and tried to execute. I was in the race pretty much by myself because the other girl ran 54.41. From the first 60m, it was just about me breathing and knowing when to transition. I’m happy with the the time.”

Malone leapt 6.66m in the Long Jump, missing the Rio qualifying standard by 4cms and her personal best established last year by 3cms.

In Arizona, coming off demolishing her twin sister Trevia’s Hammer Throw Record with a whopping 56.13m heave that upped her best from 44.99m, Tynelle Gumbs won the Arizona Colleges Athletics Championships with a heave of 47.78m. She also won the Discus Throw with a mark of 43.42m, after taking out another of her sister’s marks that stood at 46.49, with a 47.36 effort in Texas last weekend. Tynelle was third in the Shot Put with 12.96m, followed by Trevia with 12.68m.

Tynelle picked up her third victory, taking the Javelin Throw with a mark of 39.52m.

Trevia Gumbs throws record marks in Arizona Regional Championships

By BVIAA

Central Arizona College freshman Trevia Gumbs claimed the Discus Throw and Hammer Throw National Records during the Arizona College’s Region I Championships. Photo: Provided

Central Arizona College freshman Trevia Gumbs claimed the Discus Throw and Hammer Throw National Records during the Arizona College’s Region I Championships. Photo: Provided

Central Arizona College freshman and British Virgin Islands native Trevia Gumbs erased twin sister Tynelle’s Discus Throw national standard after improving her own Shot Put mark, while Eldred Henry claimed Eric Mathias’ 11 year old Hammer Throw National Record in the Arizona Jr. Colleges Region I Championships, held in Mesa. Their performances helped Central Arizona to comfortable win the women and men’s divisions with 277 and 294 points respectively.

After losing to Tynelle in their last matchup to end a streak of three successive victories, Trevia claimed Tynelle’s Discus Throw National Record with her heave of 46.49m upping her best from 43.62 on April 25 in San Diego, Calif. Tynelle added two meters on to her 44.59 from her last outing with a throw of 46.40 to place second.

Trevia was coming off a fourth place in the Hammer Throw, that saw her improving her 42.30m BVI record mark to 47.35, while Tynelle, upped her best from 36.82m to 44.99 and finished fifth.

Trevia—who bagged U20 Girls Shot Put silver in last month’s Carifta Games—used a 14.24m effort on her fifth attempt to win, while Tynelle’s opening mark of 11.88m was good for third. Tynelle was 2nd in the Javelin Throw with a mark of 38.45m that came in the third round.

Strongman Eldred Henry did a bit of hammering as he took down Eric Mathias’ 11-year old Hammer Throw record of 45.51m with his effort of 45.71, increasing his previous best of 41.89m. He placed eight overall and was second in the Discus Throw with a 52.05m measurement on his third attempt. He was plagued by foul trouble in the Shot Put and finished third after an opening throw of 15.86, then fouled the rest of his attempts.

Tarika “Tinker Bell” Moses on Wednesday moved to No. 2 on the BVI’s All Time List in the 800m, when she placed second in the Curacao Invitational, in 2 minutes 09.55 seconds—joining Samantha John as the second junior under 2:10.00.

Karene King won the 100m in 11.94 seconds while Deya Erickson ran 13.02 as the 100m Hurdles was scratched. After Curacao, King was third in the 200m in 24.25 seconds in Saturday’s St. Maarten Invitational. Ashley Kelly finished fifth in her 400m debut after running 54.74 seconds.

Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner brought the curtains down on her Cary High School career with top three performances in the North Carolina State 4A Championships. After anchoring Cary’s 4x800m relay to victory in 9 minutes, 14.45 seconds, Warner ran a 300m Hurdles personal best of 42.51 seconds to place second overall—less than three months after her first competition in the event. She ended the meet with a third leg carry on the 4x400m relay which ran 3 minutes, 50.21 second to finish third, as Cary scored 59½ points and placed second.

BVI sending four to the 17th Pan Am Jr Championships in Colombia

Shot Putter and Discus Thrower Eldred Henry, a Central Arizona freshman will lead the team  to the Pan Am Jr. Championships. PHOTO Credit: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

Shot Putter and Discus Thrower Eldred Henry, a Central Arizona freshman will lead the team to the Pan Am Jr. Championships. PHOTO Credit: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

Four athletes — including one sprinter — will represent the British Virgin Islands at the 17th Pan American Jr. Championships in Medellin, Colombia, from Friday through Sunday.

Comprising the team are: twin sisters Trevia and Tynelle Gumbs who will contest the Shot Put and Javelin Throws respectively. Eldred Henry — now a Central Arizona College freshman — will tackle both the Shot Put and Discus Throw. The Gumbs sisters and Henry, were all Carifta Games medalists earlier this season.

Shaquoy Stephens, the lone sprinter on the squad, is entered in both the 100 and 200m. BVIAA assistant General Secretary is the team official.

The BVI Athletics Association sincerely thanks the BVI Government, led by Sports Minister Hon. Myron Walwyn, for facilitating the team’s participation in the season ending competition.