BVI athletes return home after successful NACAC championship

The four athletes who represented the BVI at the recent North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Age Group Championship returned yesterday evening to a warm welcome from members of the BVI Athletics Association (BVIAA), family members and supporters.

The youngsters had a successful showing at the championship as Jah’kyla Morton won the overall Under-15 Girls Heptathlon event with 4,198 points and A’Sia McMaster finished second with 3,745 points. Their combined points won the U15 Girls division.

The two female athletes won four gold medals and four silver medals combined. Morton’s total points of 4,198 points is the highest score ever recorded by a Virgin Islands female athlete in the 36-year history of participating in the NACAC Age Group Championships.

Meanwhile, Othniel Gillings won the U13 Boys Pentathalon event with 3,189 points and Ty-Rique Charles placed sixth with 278 points. Their combined points won the U13 Boys division.

The two male athletes returned home with three gold medals and two bronze medals. Gillings also became the first Virgin Islands athlete to become a NACAC Age Group Champion in its 36-year history.

Morton told BVI News she was very excited to have won her event and that she looks forward to greater things in the future.

“The competition was good but it was as competitive as the last time I went there but I had a lot of fun and I did what I had to do. I was happy, very happy to have won my event and right now I’m looking forward to the CARIFTA Games and qualifying for another event which is high jump,” Morton said.

The team coach Ralston ‘Grandfather’ Henry said the coaching staff was thrilled for the four athletes as they have been working hard in preparation for this championship and the medals won are a testament to the fruits of their labour.

He also noted the coaching staff were not surprised by the outcome of the competition.

“It’s a multi-event meet, we just wanted to know how close we were to the team competition because we know that after day-one Jah’kyla and Othniel were going to win the individual competition. We just wanted to know the next two how many points they were going to score. These kids have been working for the last year for this meet and it really is a lot of hard work. Hard work, this is what you see here today,” Henry said.

“The boys competed in the 60 metres, the long jump, the high jump, the 1,000 metres, the ball throw. They did five events (a pentathlon). The girls did the heptathlon which is shotput, ball throw, high jump, 1200 metres, the 80-metre hurdles, the 80 metres which were really good. Jah’Kyla which was the top girl in her event won the majority of her events,” he added.

The two other coaches are Ericca Frederick and Carl Barrett.

Meanwhile, the president of the BVIAA Steve Augustine said he was very proud of the athletes and he looks forward to what they can achieve in the future.

“Your ability to perform at this regional stage is indicative of what you can do when you are older. You were able to win your medals, your trophies and everything else in between at this very young age. Don’t lose hope, don’t lose focus and listen to your coaches. The same athletes you see here today, we will be seeing them in a few Olympics, regional games and commonwealth games,” Augustine said.