2008 BVI Athletics Association Sr. Female Athlete of the Year Tahesia Harrigan, with Age Group Athletes of the Year, Nelda Huggins and Jamori Dagou. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—Sprinter Tahesia Harrigan—an IAAF World Indoor Championships 60 meters bronze medalist—was among six athletes named as the BVI Athletics Association Athletes of the Year, at the conclusion of Saturday’s first in a series of Development Track meets.

It was the first time in its 38-year existence, that the association had named an athlete of the year. Harrigan—who was the 2007 OECS female athlete of the year—was joined by BVI Olympic Discus Thrower Eric “Shaq” Mathias, who added 11 feet on to the BVI Invitational Discus Throw mark, as the senior male athlete of the year.

After establishing six of the 12 BVI National Records set in 2008 and claiming five of those records outright, Chantel Malone walked off with Jr. Female athlete of the year honors, while sprinter Ramos Pemberton—among the first athletes to represent the territory at the Commonwealth Youth Games—collected the Jr. Male athlete of the year title.

In the Age Group Division, Nelda Huggins—who narrowly missed pulling off a CUT Games sprint double by .01 seconds—easily won the award, while the male Age Group recipient was Jamori Dagou, who won the BVI Youth and Jr. Championships 200 meters.

2008 BVI Track & Field Athletes of the Year facts;

Jr. Women: Chantel Malone; Established 400 meter and Triple Jump National Records
Triple Jump: Chantel Malone, 12.97 (42’6¾”) April 5, Austin, NR; NJR; NYR
400 Meters: Chantel Malone, 55.63, April 12, Kingsville, NYR, NJR
400 Meters: Chantel Malone, 54.98, June 14, Carolina, NR, NJR, NYR
4 x 400 Meter Relay: Samantha John, Ashley Kelly, Britney Wattley and Chantel Malone, 3:42.73, June 14, Carolina, NR, NJR.
400 Meters: Chantel Malone; 54.58, June 28, Tortola, NR, NJR, NYR

Became BVI’s first track and field IAAF World Youth Championships semifinalist in the 400 meters.

Sr. Women: Tahesia Harrigan; IAAF World Indoor Championships 60 Meters bronze medalist with a time of 7.09 seconds. Ran season’s best of 11.36 and became the 1st BVI athlete to advance to the quarter finals of and Olympic Games event, when she debuted in the Beijing Olympic Games. Her 11.36 time gives her a “B” qualifier for the IAAF World Championships in August this summer

Jr. Men: Ramo Pemberton; Won Youth & Jr. Championships 100 meters in 11.44. Ran a personal best 11.14 for third in the Leeward Islands Jr. Championships. Represented BVI at the Carifta Games and Commonwealth Youth Games. Helped Fleming House to the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter ESHS records.

Sr. Men: Eric “Shaq” Mathias; Had the second best throw of his career in the Discus with a toss of 175’. Added 11’ on to his BVI Invitational Meet record and became the first BVI athlete to throw an implement in the Olympic Games.

Age Group Female: Nelda Huggins; Was second in the CUT Games 100 meters by .01 seconds with a personal best of 13.13 seconds and won the 200 meters in a personal best 26.95 seconds. Won both sprints during the Youth & Jr. Championships in 13.35 and 27.53.

Age Group Male: Jamori Dagou; Won the 200 meters at the Youth and Jr. Championships, ran a personal best of 29.45 in the CUT Games 200 meters and led off the BVI’s 4 x 100 relay team in the CUT games that finished 5th as well.

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