Chantel Malone, 13, qualified for the Carifta Games Under 17 Division with this 5’3” High Jump, the third best performance in BVI History

Chantel Malone sails over Carifta Games mark

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

There weren’t a lot of people around when two historic track and field marks were achieved during Saturday’s BVI Amateur Athletic Association’s Development Meet at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds.

While Chantel Malone was on her way to becoming the third best high jumper in the history of the BVI and meeting the Carifta Games Under-17 Division High Jump qualifying standard in the process, Sanya Penn had become the only the ninth woman to break 26.0 seconds in the 200 meters.

While both performances were equally impressive, Malone, a 13 year old BVI High School student became the first BVI athlete to meet the Carifta Games standard, by adding four inches on to her personal best with a third effort leap of 1.60 meters, (5’3”).

“I was just thinking of getting over the bar and I feel good because I jumped higher than I used to jump,” Malone said. “I have only been practicing my approach. But everything comes from practicing the 100, 200, 400 meters and Long Jump. All that sprinting has helped. If you want to high, you have to know how fast you have to come to the bar.”

In the first development meet two weeks ago, Malone came within five inches of qualifying in the Long Jump, which she lists as her favorite event along with the 400 meters.

Coach Angelita Bernard said Malone’s mark was a good performance. “She’s at the point where she’s concentrating now and really into what she’s doing. There is a little problem though with her layout over the bar that we really need to work on,” Bernard explained. “Potter (Winston) is really the jumps coach and I’m sure he recognized that and we really going work on it for the Carifta Games. I’m sure she’s all proud of her performance and we are all proud of it.”

While Malone was jumping, Penn, running in lane two, made up the stagger on her opponents some 80 meters into the race then came off the curve with a five meter lead to record a personal best time of 25.5 seconds in the 200 meters, a performance that moved to number seven on the BVI all time list. “I was looking forward to running 25-something, it didn’t matter what, once I ran in the 25s,” Penn said. “I was really looking forward to that and now that I’ve reached that goal, I have to work harder to get to another level. I’m looking to run in the 24 and close to 12 seconds in the 100 meters this year.”

Coach Willis Todman said he was satisfied with Penn’s performance. “The way she had been running in practice, I’m not surprised by the time she ran, but there is still room for improvement,” Todman noted. “When she comes off the turn, if she can get a little more knee lift, she’ll cover more ground. From her performances in practice, even for the Carifta Games, she’ll come around.”

Since competing at the Central American and Caribbean Jr. Championships in Mexico last June, Penn said the competition has opened her eyes as to the level she has to perform at.

Association president Ephraim Penn said the meet was an improvement the first meet. “The kids are improving and the competition is getting better. We are gearing towards other major meets so it’s a really good sign,” Penn noted. He said Sanya and Chantel’s performances were amazing and credited their respective coaches with the work they have been doing. “It’s really a tribute to the coaches and the trying situation they have with not having a clear indication on when the new track will be ready. We are still competing on this track and still producing these kinds of performances,” he observed, adding that someone come up big every week.

“It just shows we have a wealth of talent and we need to keep developing these young athletes,” Penn said. “It’s a shame that more people don’t come out and see them, but hopefully, during our national championships on March 12, we’ll get a big crowd out, because they are performing well.”

Final results. 800 meters; U-11 Boys: 1. Yohance Smith, 3 minutes, 01.3 seconds. 2. Kevon Solomon, 3:11.7. 3. Joash Victor, 3:37.7. 4. Kalik Aaron, 3:53.9. U-13 Boys: 1. Chervon Henley, 3:10.1. 2. Daneilo Daway, 3:11.7. 3. Traik Aaron, 3:33.7. U-15. Rowan Victor, 2:46.0. U-13 Girls; 1. Tarikah Warner, 3:11.2. 2. Riiah Durante, 3:20.8.

U-15 Girls; 1. Bianca Dougan, 2:42.8. 2. D’Wanya Blyden, 2:49.9. 3. Yanique Smith, 3:02.1. U-17 Boys; Jason Dalmida, 3:13.9. U-20 Boys; 1. Kimon Lewis, 2:12.9. 2. Rasheed Richards, 2:16.1. 3. Esan Stoutt, 2:21.3. Open; 1. Linden Peters, 2:05.9.

200 Meters: U-9 Boys: Joash Victor, 39.2 seconds. 2. Kalik Aaron, 39.8. Kevin Penn, 40.6. U-11 Boys; 1. Yohance Smith, 30.8. 2. Kevon Solomon, 32.7. 3. Kaleem Scatliffe, 33.2. Girls: Michelle Smith, 33.5. U-13 Boys; Danielo Daway, 32.9. 2. Nakosane Stapleton, 34.3. 3. Tarik Aaron, 36.1. Girls: Darnetta Robinson, 30.3. U-15 Boys: 1. Naheem Stevens, 24.3. 2. Akimo Smith, 26.4. 3. Kimani Stevens, 27.3. 4. LeJon Smith, 28.2. Girls (No times). 1. Britney Wattley. 2. Shanice Hazel. 3. Ashley Kelly. 4. Keita Maduro. 5. Therecia Phillips.

U-17 Boys; 1. Akeel Burrows, 23.8. 2. Mikhail Howe, 24.9. 3. Rhakim Todman, 25.6. 4. Darnelle Freeman, 25.9. 5. Jason Dalmida, 27.4. 6. Christopher Telemaque, 29.0. U-20 Girls; 1. Sanya Penn, 25.5. 2. Jackhel King, 26.2. 3. Karene King, 26.7. 4. Lenette Lewis, 30.4. 5. Takiyah George, 31.8. Open: Leniece Lewis, 27.4. U-20 Boys;1. Mark Kendall, 22.2. 2. Mitch Christopher, 23.8. 3. Keone Maduro, 23.9. 4. Kelvin Thomas, 25.1. Open: Dwight Brookes, 22.6. 2. Ralston Henry, 22.9. 3. Micah Williams, 24.5.

High Jump: U-15 Boys; 1. Akimo Williams, 1.40 Meters (4’7”). 2. Kimani Stevens, 1.40 (4’7”). Girls: 1. Chantel Malone, 1.60 meters (5’3”). 3rd all time BVI performance. 2. Shanice Hazel,1.40 (4’7”) .3. Kanishque Todman, 1.24 (4’1”). 3. Kalisha Todman, 1.24 (4”1”). 4. Shelane Penn, 1.16 (3’10”). U-17 Boys: 1. Akeel Burrows, 1.60 (5’3”). 2. Norvin Smith, 1.55 (5’1”). U-20 Boys; 1. Kimon Lewis,1.65 (5’5”). 2. Esan Stoutt, (1.50) 4’11”. Girls: Saungie Liburd, 1.55 (5’1”). Open: Ralston Henry, 1.65 (5’5”).

Discus Throw. U-20 Boys; 1. Kyle Francis, 38.45 meters (126’2”). 2. Jordan Luke, 33.90 (111’2½”). 3.Andrew Thomas, 23.29. (76’4¾”). Girls; Kay Barry, 19.71 (63’1”)