THIS WEEK IN NACAC
3 May 2021
Historic First for NACAC
NACAC is celebrating yet another historic achievement with its announcement of the winners of the inaugural NACAC Indoor Awards, Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) and Ryan Crouser (USATF).
Shaunae Miller-emerged as the world leader in the 400m Indoors, having attained 50.21 to establish a new Bahamian record for the event. She also finished the season second in the 200mm, having established yet another new national record of 22.40.
For his part, Crouser set his sights on world records during the Indoor season and he did not falter. He set a new world mark very early in the season with a throw of 22.82m. He now owns four of the top five indoor marks ever, dating back to the 2020 season.
Member of the NACAC Sports Journalists Working Group, Terry Finisterre of St Lucia, quotes Crouser, “I feel like I’d put so much pressure on myself to do it, most of all because I knew that it was possible. And so my whole goal going into that meet was just stay loose and relaxed and let the big throws happen. And I felt like I did that really well on the first one, and it felt almost like a weight was lifted, just because it’s been something I’ve been wanting to get for such a long time. And then, especially when you know it’s possible, it’s kind of different.”
The NACAC Athletes of the Year Awards have been introduced by the NACAC Sports Journalists Working Group, chaired by Kwame Lawrence and includes, in addition to Finisterre, Katya Lopez, Eyleen Rios Lopes, Gisele Ericher, Javier Clavelo, Andre Lowe, Brent Stubbs and Dean Greenaway
CUB & DOM at World Relays
Zurian HECHAVARRÍA, Rose Mary ALMANZA, Lisneidy VEITÍA and Roxana GÓMEZ, the Cuban Women’s 4 x 400m relay team captured gold and a Tokyo 2020 qualifying place at the World Relays in Silesia, Poland, over the weekend. The team clocked 3.28.41, defeating Poland and Great Britain in that order
The Dominican Republic’s mixed relay team of Lidio Andres FELIZ, Anabel MEDINA VENTURA, Marileidy PAULINO and Alexander OGANDO, produced a time of 3.17.58 to capture the bronze medal in the 4 x 400m Mixed Relay, finishing behind Italy and Brazil respectively.
NACAC Circuit looms
During the past week NACAC’s leadership convened a meeting to discuss the establishment of a NACAC Circuit effective 2021.
The concept of a NACAC Circuit has been a long-held dream of the member federations, leaders and athletes of NACAC.
The NACAC Circuit will be built around the annual NACAC New Life Invitational which will feature as the Grand Finale for the annual grouping of competitions.
Panam Juniors postponed
The biennial Panam Junior Championships is the latest regional competition to fall prey to the continuing challenges posed to our sport by the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week it was officially announced that the Panam Juniors for athletes aged under 20 years, has been postponed from 15-16 July to 22-24 October 2021.
The Panam Juniors is scheduled for Iquique, Chile, and is an eagerly anticipated competition for the Junior athletes of the Americas.
Increasing optimism on NACAC New Life Invitational
Discussions are well advanced in respect of the hosting of the Inaugural NACAC New Life Invitational.
During the past week NACAC’s leadership organised a planning session that led to agreement on the format of the competition which will start at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver level, in the hope of advancing over the years.
NACAC has been reaching out to Athletes’ agents to discuss the event and their interest in having their athletes compete.
NACAC athletes address Tokyo Relay Qualifications
Consequent upon the challenges facing the entire world, not the least sport, World Athletics has seen a significant shortfall in the number of teams attending and competing at the World Relays in Silesia, Poland, over the weekend.
Several of NACAC member federations opted out of the World Relays this year because of the coronavirus pandemic as well as extensive and expensive travel arrangements.
Oceania has officially submitted an appeal for consideration of the extenuating circumstances relative to travel to the Relays as negatively impact their member federations.
The NACAC Athletes Commission felt it necessary to discuss the matter and hopefully, agree a course of action in respect of a possible appear to World Athletics.
Exploring marketing options
NACAC continues to hold discussions with organisations and commercial enterprises in the rea with a view to establishing a strong marketing programme.
In the past week NACAC’s leadership held discussions with COPA Airlines about the prospect of entering into a partnership agreement.
Discussions have also been held with MONDO and plans are in place to meet with UCS.
Over the coming weeks, the NACAC leadership will continue to explore the options available to facilitate Sponsorship and Partnership discussions and possible agreements aimed at allowing the Area Association to be better placed to develop the sport.
The NACAC Brand is already being recognised by our athletes and increasingly by organisations around the Americas.
NACAC is also in discussions with Panam Sports regarding the potential of the Panam Sports Channel which has currently re-launched with a fresh now appearance and significant content.
Governance issues being addressed
Governance is one of the areas to which NACAC remains particularly committed, much like our international parent organisation World Athletics.
In this week, NACAC’s Governance Commission will engage the President of the Haitian Federation, Alain Jean-Pierre, to discuss matters of concern to both World Athletics and our organisation in respect of governance matters.
During the week also, NACAC will follow-up on arrangements to convene an Elective General Assembly in Aruba, as mandated by World Athletics following some issues that emerged within the fraternity in that country.
AROUND NACAC
JAM
Track and field action took place around Jamaica over the weekend.
Rasheed Dwyer produced a 10.34 run to win the 100m for men while Sasha-Lee Forbes won the women’s division in 11.17.
In the 200m, Ackeem Blake, who finished second fastest (10.57) in the 100m to Dwyer, won in 20.99.
Frederick Dacres won the Discus Throw with 62.09m while O’Dayne Richards won the Shot Put with 19.79m.
Competition was also keen in the West Champs where Antonio Watson won the 16 – 18 Boys 100m in 10.64 and Deandre Daly won the 14-15 category in 11.18, and Tremaine Todd won the event for the 13 year olds in 11.92.
In the Girls’ competition, Salieci Myles won the 100m (17.25) for the 16-18 age group, Alexis James (11.90) took the 100m (11.90) for the 15-16 age group, Lavanya Williams produced 12.25 to with the event for the 13-14 age group and Sharla Bell won the 100m in the 12 & Under age group in 12.93.
Jamaica’s athletes are getting into high gear with news that the Boys and Girls’ Champs would definitely take place this year, returning after an absence of one year due to the Covid pandemic.
NCA
Nicaragua hosted its annual U18 and U20 athletics championships over the weekend with over 300 participants from 30 clubs spread across the nation.
Four new national records were established at the championships:
Yeykell Eliu Romero Rodríguez – U20 (Rookies Rivas) set a new national mark of 10.81 in the 100m, bettering the old mark of 10.83 established in 2004 by Carlos Abaunza.
Uriel Beteta (High Performance Academy Club, Managua), completed the 110mH in a new national record time of 15.64 seconds
Gabriel Antonio Alvarado Dávila – U18 (Club Atlético Carlos Vanegas, Managua) broke the old record of 44:50.00 for the 10,000m, posting a new time of 43:14.88
minutes. It improves the record of him 44:50 minutes which he established earlier this year when he won the event at the XV National Race Walking Championships competing on the Paseo de Los Estudiantes (Malecón), Managua, 21 February 2021
Finally, Ariana Guadalupe Rivera Orozco – U20 (Rivas), set a new record of 1:03.26 for the 400mH
VIN
Mikeisha Welcome has broken the St Vincent and the Grenadines women’s national triple jump record yet again.
In the previous week she had set 13.60m as the national record. Competing on Saturday 1 May at the Desert Heat Classic, Arizona, she extended her personal best and the national record to 13.72m.
Team Athletics St Vincent and the Grenadines is extremely proud of her continuing achievements in her freshman year at Oklahoma and the tremendous work being done with her by coach Rudy Sylvan.
Akani Slater and OJ Jackson, Vincentian students at the GC Foster College in Jamaica, were timed, 46.58 and 47.62 respectively, in the 400m, while McKish Compton attained 10.57 and Javon Rawlins, 10.65, respectively in the 100m, at the JAAA Qualification Meet on Saturday 1 May.
Weekly Meetings
Monday 3 May
12.00 noon – ECT – NACAC meeting with Alain Jean-Pierre of Haiti
7.00pm ECT – Meeting of LOC, Carifta2022, Guyana
Tuesday 4 May
7.00 pm ECT – Meeting of the NACAC Development Commission
Wednesday 5 May
10.00am ECT – Weekly Meeting – Mike Sands, Michael Serralta and Keith Joseph
Friday 7 May
Pan American Race Walking Cup – Guayaquil, Ecuador
