ROAD TOWN, Tortola – A star-studded lineup of athletes represented the Federation over the weekend at the British Virgin Islands/OECS Track & Field Invitational and dominated the sub-regional competition in nearly every category they participated in.
Because many of the nation’s top athletes returned to the country for the St. Kitts-Nevis National Invitational Championships on June 20, the squad sent to the BVI contained not only top locally-based athletes, but also those who typically compete overseas.
Proving the point of St. Kitts-Nevis’ sprinting dominance in the OECS first were Antoine Adams and Brijesh Lawrence, who finished first and second in the Men’s Open 100m Dash in times of 10.58 and 10.64, respectively.
Tameka Williams also represented the nation well in the Women’s Open 100m Dash against some very stiff competition. Williams came in second place with a time of 11.65, only being bested by the BVI’s own Tahesia Harrigan.
Harrigan clocked a blistering 11.22, which set a new meet record after breaking her own time of 11.51 from 2008. Coming in third place was double IAAF World Youth Championships silver medalist from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Allison Peter, who ran a time of 11.68.
It was a family affair in the Open 400m for St. Kitts-Nevis as Tiandra and Leron Ponteen dominated the female and male fields, respectively. Tiandra was without equal in her race, finishing in 52.47 and well ahead of Sprint Tech Club runners Samantha John and Dominique Maloney, who clocked 54.99 and 58.05, respectively.
Leron saw more of a challenge from Enoete Inanga, as the pair brought home the top spots for St. Kitts-Nevis in 49.27 and 50.02, respectively.
In the Under-20 400m, Kittitian Carifta medalist Lestrod Roland set himself apart from the pack with a first place finish in 50.17, while O’Brien Huggins finished second in the Open 800m in 1:59.89.
The relays proved equally fruitful for the Federation. In the Men’s 4x100m, a lineup of Adams, Lawrence, Roland and Jason Rogers cruised to a gold medal in a time of 40.70 ahead of Top Notch Track Club and Antigua & Barbuda.
In the Men’s 4x400m, Roland returned as anchor and was supported by Inanga, Ponteen and Jevon Claxton to finish a full six seconds ahead of the competition in a time of 3:21.28.
Perhaps the most exciting race of the day, however, was the Women’s 4x100m Relay. St. Kitts-Nevis’ team was comprised of Williams, Ponteen, Marecia Pemberton and Davanna Claxton. Though the women put in a good effort of 44.72, they were edged out at the line by BVI’s star-filled team of Ashley Kelly, Harrigan, Chantel Malone and Karene King, who set a new national record of 44.34.
Though the meet was delayed by nearly three hours due to heavy rains, teams from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts-Nevis, Anguilla, BVI, USVI, Netherland Antillies and Puerto Rico all competed and reported general satisfaction with the meet.
