THIS WEEK IN NACAC
09 August 2021
NACAC’s athletes reign supreme at Tokyo 2020
NACAC MEDAL TABLE – FINAL REPORT – DAY 10 – AUG 8
| COUNTRY | G | S | B | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 7 | 12 | 7 | 26 |
| JAM | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| CAN | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| BAH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| PUR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DOM | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| CUB | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| GRN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 16 | 17 | 16 | 49 |
Athletes from the NACAC Area gave their respective countries much to celebrate following outstanding performances at the 32nd Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
As the curtains came down on the Games with the extinguishing of the Olympic Flame on the evening of Sunday 8 August 2021, the lights were kept burning in the spate of celebratory activities spawning the length and breadth of our Area, as NACAC athletes filled the breach left by the indomitable, Usain Bolt and others of his remarkable era.
True, there was no one male athlete from NACAC who stepped into the boots of Usain Bolt, his country nevertheless served up Elaine Thompson for her own double-double, winning the 100m and 200m for the second consecutive editions of the Summer Olympics, and her heading a Jamaican 1-2-3 in the 100m, something that appears to be commonplace for the small Caribbean nation.
Jamaica returned to win the 4 x 100m Relay with 19-year old Breanna Williams doing the lead-off leg. Team USA’s women brought the house down with their victory in the penultimate event of the final day of track and field competition in the 4 x 400m Relay.
The manner in which NACAC female athletes scorched the track, readily turned the tables on their male counterparts. When the dust settled, NACAC women won 10 gold, four more than the men and shared eight medals each in silver and bronze respectively.
Of NACAC’s gold medal performances, Sydney McLaughlin established the only new world record when winning the 400mH.
Canada’s Andre de Grasse’s 200m victory was simply stunning and he supported this with an amazing final leg that earned Canada the bronze medal in the 4 x 100m Relay.
Junior athletes from the Area were not to be outdone by any means.
Athing MU of the USA displayed great maturity in her 800m victory over her more experienced opponents. Whereas in the heats and semifinal she positioned herself in the pack waiting on the final sprint to show her wares, in the final she took charge from the very beginning and controlled the entire race thereafter.
The ease with which Athing won the 800m left no one in doubt that with appropriate training and continued support she is sure to become one of the greats of all time. She later returned to the track to run the final leg of Team USA’s 4 x 400m Relay winning team that also included Sydney McLaughlin, Allyson Felix and Dalilah Muhammad.
NACAC is also pleased with the performances of Jamaica’s young, rising star, Christopher Taylor, who has a bright future in the 400m.
NACAC’s list of achievements constitute the lead of this week’s Bulletin and we are all full of congratulations to all of our athletes who competed in Tokyo, regardless of their final results.
It was an elated NACAC President, Mike Sands, who, in congratulating all of the Area’s athletes and their achievements, declared, “This was indeed a collective effort. While they were not all winners, each of them added value to the cadre of athletes who constitute the most important component of what constitutes NACAC, the athletes.
“They are the reason we exist and why we will continue to strive after excellence at every major international competition.
“Long may NACAC reign!”
NACAC Salutes Allyson Felix
There are runners and there are runners.
NACAC seizes this opportunity to salute a track and field icon whose legendary exploits have led her to become one of track and field’s most admired, humble and remarkable athlete, Allyson Felix.
When Allyson completed her unsuccessful bid to represent Team USA in the 200m at the Olympic Trails in Oregon, earlier this year, having already qualified for the 400m, she bade everyone a fond yet painful and tear-filled farewell that will be eternally etched in everyone’s memory.
Allyson had received a vociferous standing ovation after having qualified for the 400m to make the national team. One would have thought that she had won the event, which was not the case. The reaction of the athletics aficionados in Oregon after both the 400m and 200m qualifiers respectively, spoke to the exceedingly high esteem in which Allyson has always been held.
In Tokyo, Allyson, even in the absence of spectators, showed the track and field world the stuff of which she is made. She claimed bronze in the individual 400m, to equal the medal tally of Carl Lewis. Then, on the final day of track and field competition, she returned to deliver an outstanding, final, second leg performance in Team USA’s 4 x 400m victory.
What a way to end an Olympic Career, one’s 12th medal being gold.
NACAC can hardly find the appropriate accolades to shower on an amazing athlete whose career we have all watched in awe from her junior competitions through to the mature ending that she put together in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday 7 August 2021.
Allyson Felix is testimony to the very best in women in sport.
NACAC is particularly proud of her and looks forward to her continued commitment to our sport and to our Area, a true exemplar to our girls and women.
NACAC takes on the challenge of World U20
NACAC’s Junior athletes have always distinguished themselves at the biennial World Athletics Junior Championships.
This year, NACAC is serving notice that it is committed to ensuring that the Championships, scheduled for Nairobi, Kenya, 17 – 22 August 2021, will once more be known for our presence.
NACAC President, Mike Sands, continues to “urge member federations to participate in the World Juniors in Nairobi. This is the first time that the event is being held in Kenya and given our history, it is in our collective best interest to participate and, at the same time, leave our rich track and field stamp on the proceedings.”
Sands also reminded member federations to maintain strict adherence to the health protocols of their respective countries and of the host nation, Kenya, in order to ensure that the Championships are safe for all participants.
Updates on Athletics Qualification for Inaugural Pan American Junior Games, Cali 2021
NACAC reminds member federations that the Inaugural Pan American Junior Games will take place in Cali, Colombia, 25 November to 5 December 2021.
Member federations should pay special attention to the following:
- The deadline for achieving the qualifying standards and rankings established for the Pan American is Sunday 22 August 2021.
- The host country (Colombia), has the right to participate in all the events including those for which none of their athletes has qualified..
- National Olympic Committees that do not have any qualified athlete in an event have the right to register one male and one female athlete seeking approval under the universality principle. The deadline to report universality entries is 15 August 2021.
- Any queries must be made to Noel Cedeño, with a copy to the international technical delegates, Martinho Nobre dos Santos ([email protected]) and Cándido Vélez ([email protected]).
- Marcos Oviedo([email protected]), may also be approached with claims in respect of the matters relating to the aforementioned information
Sport Post Graduate Certificate Scholarship NEW Opportunity
NACAC member federations with Commonwealth Games Associations (CGA) now have the opportunity to apply for scholarship opportunities for the World Academy of Sport’s (WAoS) Postgraduate Certificate, International Sports Management, developed and delivered in conjunction with the University of London.
Available from WAoS and the CGF are two (2) full scholarships, each valued at £3,675, and three (3) 25% scholarships valued at £918.75 each.
The Post Graduate Certificate (PGCert) programme is a globally-recognised, academically rigorous and industry-focused qualification which has been collaboratively developed by the University of London and the World Academy of Sport.
Applications must be submitted no later than 13 August 2021.
Weekly Meetings
Wednesday 11 August
10.00am ECT – Weekly Meeting – Mike Sands, Michael Serralta, Chester Morgan, Garth Gayle and Keith Joseph
Keith Joseph
P.O. Box 680, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines
Tel: (784) 457 9062 (H); (784) 457 2970 (O)
