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In easily retaining its title, St. Kitts amassed 140.33 points, with host BVI garnering 89.67, followed by Nevis with 74. Antigua was fourth with 36, the U.S. Virgin Islands had 29, Anguilla, 18 and Montserrat rounded out the competition with eight.
“The championship speaks for itself based on the performances of the athletes over the last two days,” St. Kitts’ coach Scotty Hanley said. “It shows the hard work that the coaches have been doing under the auspices of our chief coach Lanzo Wilkenson. Coming out of hosting the Carifta Games, we have a good squad of young athletes. We came with two goals, to get a good competition and to give our girls as much competition as possible for next week’s World Jr. Championships.” In all, 18 meet records were broken over the two day competition—including 13 on Sunday. In the process, eight BVI All Comers marks were established, three BVI National Records were broken and one equaled; two Anguilla and one Montserrat national marks were set as well. BVI Amateur Athletic Association Vice President Rey O’Neal said it was one of the better Leeward Jr. Championships seen and the speed events were impressive, he noted.
“We saw some athletes of high quality here. St. Kitts’ Maritzer Williams has made the A 200 meter standard for the Olympic Games,” he pointed out. “It seemed to me that in several of the events there was more depth of talent than we have tended to see in recent years at the Leeward Islands Championships and one would hope that we could keep things going. It’s not the easiest meet that we can put together and we run into problems of people getting here with the costs as it is and going higher. But, were a grateful for the level of participation that we did have.” Most outstanding individual awards went to the U.S. Virgin Islands Juan Robles in the Under 20 Boys Division. He won the 1500/3000 meters double, establishing a meet record in the latter. Chantel Malone took Girls division, winning the 400 meters and Long Jump with meet and national records. Equaled the High Jump national and meet record and had a meet record in the Triple Jump. Antigua’s Elricia Francis won the Under 17 Girls division, establishing meet records in the 800, 1500 and 3000 meters. St. Kitts’ Gavin Bass set meet records in the Long Jump and Shot Put.
Under 20 Boys:
400 Meters: Jevon Claxton, Nevis, 48.85 5000 Meters: Juan Robles, USVI, 16:50.51 Long Jump: Joseph Pemberton, St. Kitts, 23’7½” Shot Put: Dion Samuel, St. Kitts, 45’5¾”
Under 20 Girls:
100 Meters: Meritzer Williams, St. Kitts, 11.75 200 Meters: Meritzer Williams, St. Kitts, 23.90 400 Meters: Chantel Malone, BVI, 54.58 800 Meters: Samantha John, BVI, 2:16.14. High Jump: Chantel Malone, BVI, 5’5” Triple Jump: Chantel Malone, BVI, 40’10¼”
Under 17 Boys:
Long Jump: Givan Bass, St. Kitts, 22’4½” Shot Put: Givan Bass, St. Kitts, 40’0½”
Under 17 Girls:
800 Meters: Kenryca Francis, Antigua, 2:20.30 1500 Meters: Kenryca Francis, Antigua, 4:53.58 4x100 Meter Relay: BVI, 47.86 (Kaetia Maduro, Darnetia Robinson, Britney Wattley, Kanishque Todman) High Jump: Israel Ramsey, Nevis, 5’5” Shot Put: Rochelle Challenger, St. Kitts, 33’10¾” Discus Throw: Rochelle Challenger, St. Kitts,103’3”© Copyright 2007 BVI Olympic Committee |
