THIS WEEK IN NACAC
24 May 2021
NACAC fares well at Wanda Diamond League
As the Olympic Games draw closer the athletics competition around the world continue to heat up.
NACAC Athletes have done well at the first of this year’s WANDA Diamond League event which took place at Gateshead on Sunday 23 May 2021.
Kendall Ellis( 51.86) of the USA and Jamaica’s Stephanie-Ann Mc Pherson (51.96) finished first and second respectively in the 400m.
NACAC athletes took the three top spots in the Men’s 200m when USA’s Kenneth Bednarek (20.35) led Canadians, Aaron Brown (20.35) and Andre de Grasse (20.85) respectively. Jamaica’s Julian Forte (21.47) finished fourth.
In the Women’s 100m, Sha-Carri Richards (11.44) of the USA finished second while Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (11.51) was fourth.
Janieve Russell (57.16) of Jamaica placed third in the 400mH.
In the Triple Jump, Shanieka Ricketts (14.40m) of Jamaica won ahead of compatriot Kimberley Kennedy (14.15) while Keturah Orji (13.96) of the USA was third.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott, finished second in the Men’s Javelin, with a throw of 77.78m while Grenada’s Anderson Peters was fourth with 75.65m.
The USA’s Sam Kendricks (5.74m) took top honours in the Men’s Pole Vault with compatriot Cole Walsh (5.30m) in fourth.
Keen interest shown for NACAC Lew Life Invitational
NACAC President, Michael Sands and Competitions Director, Michael Serralta, are at this stage of the planning process relatively impressed with the interest shown by agents and athletes in the Inaugural NACAC New Life Invitational scheduled for Miramar, Florida, USA, 5 June 2021.
The Relays have been added to the competition schedule in an attempt to facilitate those member federations whose teams have yet to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Gender Leadership Programme continues
The NACAC Gender Leadership Working Group convened yet another of its education programmes on Friday and Saturday last.
The latest sessions focused on Personal Branding and Change Management.
Participants were divided into three groups that were led by the following Working Group members:
Group 1 – Donna Raynor (BER) and Sherone Simpson (JAM)
Group 2 – Cydonie Mothersill (CAY) and Edith Skippings (TKS)
Group 3 – Gloria Ramos (ESA)
Of the participants in attendance, there were two males – Chris Winter and Johnathan Emmanuel.
AROUND NACAC
BAH
Shaunae Miller-Uibo, served up a 22.08 to win the 200m at the USATF’s Journey To Gold Adidas Boost Boston Games on Sunday 23 May. Behind her were Americans, Kortnei Johnson (22.40) and Wadeline Jonathan (22.57).
On Saturday 22 May the Star Trackers Track Cub, a member of the BAAA hosted its 18th Star Performers Track Classic at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium.
Paige Archer, Larcarthea Cooper, Shavantae Roberts, Carlos Brown Jr, Wendell Miller, Wayna McCoy, Antoine Andrews, Lamont Moss, Tarajh Hudson all achieved the established standards set by the BAAA for the NACAC U-19-8/U-23 Championships set for July 9-11 in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Archer qualified in the girls’ 100m (11.76 seconds) for the NACAC under-18 division, while Cooper (11.71) and Roberts (11.79) did it for the World Athletics under-20 girls’ 100m.
The World Athletics Under-20 Championships will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from August 17-22.
McCoy (10.35) and Andrews (10.45) both achieved the NACAC under-23 and World Athletics under-20 100m qualifying times; Miller (20.75), McCoy (20.84), Andrews (21.19) and Moss (21.27) all qualified for the World Athletics U-20 200m. Miller (46.33) achieved the standards for both the NACAC U-23 and the World Athletics U-20 in the 400m.
Not to be left out, Hudson was the only competitor to qualify on the field in the Discus (58.37m) for the NACAC U-23 Championships.
According to David Charlton, founder and head coach of the Star Trackers Track Club, “We had a phenomenal day of competition. We saw some fantastic times,” he said. “We had athletes qualifying and requalifying for the upcoming international events, so as an organization and as a federation, we did a fantastic job today.”
CAN
Canada’s Jerome Blake won the 200m at the Adidas Boots Boston Games on Sunday with a time of 19.89, a personal best. He finished ahead of Zharnel Hughes (19.93) of Anguilla/UK with Aldrich Bailey Jr (20.45) of the USA.
Canada’s ‘Race With Me! Virtual Challenge’ is proving to incredibly popular and supportive of a good cause. The project was co-created by Jesse Briscoe, a 14-year old whose frustration with the cancellation of the activities of his sports club resulting from the pandemic. The frustration led to a project, the results from which mental health charities and others are benefitting. The Andre de Grasse Family Foundation is integrally involved.
All across Canada, the challenge spread over four categories of racers for all abilities, Canadians are putting down their fastest 400-metre time and planning how to better that time every week
According to the Athletics Canada website, “The goal of the RACE WITH ME! Virtual Challenge is the act of completing the challenge itself. More than your time, your fundraising total or your ranking on the leader board, getting out there and doing your 400 metres is its own reward.
“’ That’s the ultimate outcome – that transformation of the physical to improve your mental health,” said Rob. “You get a sense of accomplishment; you feel better that day and then that carries over for the rest of the week. It gives you something positive to think about and that has an impact on both your mental and physical health.’”
JAM
One of the highlights of Jamaica’s Inaugural Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA)/Jamaica Association of Athletics Administration (JAAA) Olympic Destiny Series on Saturday last was the performance of Sachin Dennis, winner of the Class One boys’ 100m at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, who posted an amazing
Personal best of 10.15 seconds in winning the men’s 100m.
In the Women’s segment of the 100m, Roneisha McGregor of UWI Mona, continued her winning ways with an 11.37 performance, ahead of Shockoria Wallace of MVP (11.41) and Jodean Williams (11.50) of Racers Track Club. McGregor also won the 200m later in the day, achieving a personal best in the process.
NACAC Athletes Commission member and Jamaican national champion in the Shot Put, O’Dayne Richards, won the men’s shot put with 20.21m.
UWI’s, Traves Smikle, posted 61.99m to win the Men’s Discus, while Samantha Hall of Throwers R’ Us threw 53.76m to win the Women’s Discus.
Winners of the Premium events (100m men/women, 400m men/women, 200m men and discus men), who achieved the specified standards, received $100,000 for first place, $60,000 for second place and $40,000 for third. Winners of the Classic events (110m hurdles, women’s 200m, women’s 400m hurdles and women’s long jump) received $70,000, second-place received $35,000, while third-place received $20,000.
In both the Premium and Classic events athletes who placed fourth through sixth also received prize monies.
The next edition of the JOA/JAAA Olympic Destiny Series is set for Saturday 29 May.
JAAA President, Garth Gayle, continues to feel good about the performances he is seeing by Jamaican athletes at home and abroad at this time of the year, despite the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
TTO
TTO’s Jereem Richards won the 150m at the USATF’s Journey to Gold, Adidas Boost Boston Games in a time of 14.75. He finished ahead of Jamaica’s Yohan Blake (14.94) with USA’s Andrew Hudson (14.94) in third.
Michelle-Lee Ayhee is back on track.
On Sunday 23 May, Ahyee ran the 200m (22.62) at the same meet as Rishards and finished fourth. This is her season’s best performance.
USA
Competition in the USA continues to come fast and furious with some outstanding performances.
At Saturday’s USATF’ Journey To Gold, Throws Festival in Tucson, Arizona, NACAC’s Indoor Athlete of the Year, Ryan Crouser, continued his winning ways in the Shot Put as he threw 23.01m, to become the world leader with a personal best performance in an all US top three. Joe Kovacs (22.04m) and Darren Hill (21.88m) finished second and third respectively.
In the Women’s Shot Put, The USA’s Jessica Woodard (18.85m) took top honours ahead of compatriot, Jessica Ramsey (18.63), with Canada’s Sarah Mitton (18.46m) in third.
Shelby McEwen (2.33m) of the USA achieved a personal best in the Men’s High Jump ahead of Jamaica’s Django Lovett (2.29m) who achieved a season’s best. Bahamanian, Jamal Wilson (2.20m) was sixth while Canada’s Stafane Duvivier ((2.10m) finished ninth.
In the Women’s High Jump, It was a US sweep with Cashti Cunningham (1.99m), Jelena Rowe (1.96m) and Rachel McCoy (1.93m). Antigua and Barbuda’s Priscilla Frederick (1.77m), finished ninth.
On Sunday, the USATF’s Journey To Gold competition shifted to Boston where in the 100m, there was a clean sweep for US athletes, Aleia Hobbs (11.05),
VIN
Team Athletics St Vincent and the Grenadines completed yet another of its local competitions on Saturday 22 May.
Carifta double bronze medallist, Ulanda Lewis, continued to lead the way amongst home-based athletes easily winning the 100m in 11.99, without any form of a challenge. Her closest rival, Glenisha Thomas, achieved 12.71. Lewis’ eyes are already set on the standards for both the NACAC Under 18 Championships set for San Jose, Costa Rica and the World Juniors scheduled for Nairobi, Kenya, later this year.
Another local competition is set for Saturday 29 May at the national stadium.
Kyle Lawrence, who won the U20 boys (10.76) looked relatively easy in victory.
Vincentian, Mc Kish Compton posted 10.56 in the 100m to achieve an overall 15th place in the first of the JOA/JAAA Olympic Destiny Series held on Saturday 22 May at the national stadium in Jamaica. This is the nest by a Vincentian male for the year. He is a student at the GC Foster College in Jamaica.
Also at the GC Foster, Javon Rawlins finished an overall 20th with a time of 10.58 in the same event.
Another Vincentian in Jamaica, Akani Slater, posted a time of 46.15 in the 400m to have a rank of 3rd, with fellow Vincentian, OJ Jackson, in 11th with a time of 48.01. Yonic Murray ended 15th with a time of 49.94.
Weekly Meetings
Monday 24 May
12.00pm ECT – Meeting of NACAC’s leadership with the management of the Panam Sports Channel regarding coverage of the Inaugural NACAC New Life Invitational
Tuesday 25 May
7.30am ECT – Meeting of Development Heads of the Area Associations of World Athletics
7.00am ECT – Meeting of Competitions Commission
Wednesday 26 May
10.00am ECT – Weekly Meeting – Mike Sands, Michael Serralta and Keith Joseph
4.30 pm ECT – Meeting on developments regarding the NACAC New Life Invitational
Friday 28 May
4200 pm ECT – NACAC leadership’s participation in Annual General Meeting of Athletics Canada
