Source: VINO
Team BVI returned from the Pan American U20 Track and Field Championships, held in Peru. Photo: VINO
The recently concluded Pan American U20 Track and Field Championships, held in Peru, at Trujillo’s Chan Chan stadium, on July 21 – 23, 2017, provided a mix bag of results for the young Virgin Island athletes.
Team BVI were led, results wise by Shaniya Caul and L’tsha Fahie, with Caul running 24.90 seconds to place 8th in the 200m girls final and Fahie finishing the 100m in 7th with a time of 11.92.
Caul reached the final with a time of 24-93, whilst L’Tsha Fahie had a non-qualifying time of 25.69.
Rikkoi Brathwaite and Johnta Charles had non-progressing times of 21.98 and 22.52 respectively in the boys 200m heats.
Brathwaite had a time of 10.72 in the 100m final. Kala Penn had a best of 5.54 for 10th in the long jump.
“The athletes could all have done better,” commented Coach Dag Samuels. “Fahie for example was a little down after her 100m showing and should have progressed in the 200m. Caul too missed out on on the 400m and then ran her heart out in the 2. Kala (Penn) was also a little flat on the day, but in the Triple Jump she put in a new PB of 13.12m.. Overall the team performed above average and although missing out on podium finishes, I am proud of their performances.”
The final day of action also witnessed four championship records.
Adriana Rodríguez tallied 5733 points (13.37, 1.72m, 12.04m, 24.00, 6.00m, 35.31m, 2:28.50) in the heptathlon. Mexican Alegna González broke the meeting standard in the 10,000m race walk with 44:43.89 to win by more than a minute. Eric van der Els of the US won the 1500m in 3:43.16. And in the women’s 4x400m, the US squad –Syaira Richardson, Jaevin Reed, Arria Minor, and Takyera Roberson– won by nearly five seconds in 3:28.57, also a 2017 world U20 lead.
In addition, Jamal Walton of the Cayman Islands, fourth at the 2015 IAAF World U18 Championships, marked a special return to South American soil with an impressive 44.99 win in 400m, eclipsing the 10-year old championship record and becoming the 16th teenager in history to break the 45-second barrier.
