Sanya Penn, left, won the 100 meters in 12.36 seconds. She also won the 200 meters in 25.50 and claimed Jr.Division Female Athlete of the Meet honors

Penn highlights BVIAAA Jr. Championships with Carifta berth

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

Since her trek to last year’s Central American and Caribbean Jr. Championships in Mexico when her eyes were opened by competing against the region’s best, sprinter Sanya Penn has been focused on joining the elite ranks.

During the weekend BVI Amateur Athletic Association Youth and Jr. Championships at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds, Penn took another step in that direction by meeting the association’s 200 meters qualifying standards for the Easter weekend Carifta Games in Tobago.

Penn, who ran 11.9 seconds in St. Kitts on March 6, became only the third BVI athlete to ever break the 12 seconds barrier. “I know those St. Kitts and Jamaican girls do a lot of work and run hard, and, I want to be in the category with them,” Penn pointed out. “My race in St. Kitts gave me a lot of confidence heading into today’s meet and into the Carifta Games.”

Penn, who won the 100 and 200 meters in 12.36 and 25.50 seconds respectively to win girls junior division champion trophy, joined Chantel Malone who met the High Jump standard earlier in the season as Carifta Games qualifiers.

“I was looking for a time around 11.9 in the 100 and 25.40 to 25.50 in the 200,” Penn explained, adding that her aim was to do her best and have fun in the process. “I felt very good in the 100. In the 200, I was just trying to come off the turn hard and maintain it down the stretch. I got a little tired in the last 10 meters. But, I’m looking forward to running better times on a synthetic track. This is a hard dirt track and it’s harder for me to run the time I want to run.”

Malone was victorious in the 200 and 400 meters after running 26.5 and 60.2 seconds respectively, and added victories in the Long Jump with a personal best effort of 5.19 meters (17’0½”). She came within an inch of her personal best in the High Jump with a 1.56 meter (5’2”) clearance, to win the Youth Female athlete of the meet award.

“I think my performance today was good. In the Long Jump, I was looking to jump over 17’5”, but I came up 4½” short of the point I wanted to reach. I think I was reaching for the board and I could have had more power and height into my jump, so that I could have extended my legs,” Malone explained.

“In the high jump, I was aiming for 5’5”. At the lower jumps, I had a positive thought in my head, but when it came to 5’4”, I was a bit timid at the bar which was wrong,” she noted. “On my second try I almost cleared it but I hit it with my bottom and it started shaking then it dropped, but, I almost got over.” The 13 year old felt her 400 meters performance was also good “But, because of the kind of track, it was difficult to run on. In the 200, I thought I also did well.”

Virgin Gorda’s Naheem Stevens swept the 100 and 200 meters in 11.4 and 24.4 seconds and added another victory in the Under 15 Boys Long Jump, with a leap of 5.68 (18’6½”). Michael Butler won the Boys Jr. Champion award, after claiming victories 100 and 200 meters and placing third in the Long Jump with marks of 11.72 and 24.05 seconds and 5.93 (19’5½”).

Association president Ephraim Penn said despite getting off to a late start, the meet was a very good one. “The competition was very good and we had a lot of participants from the various Primary Schools, and we must compliment the teachers and principals for getting them out,” Penn said. “Virgin Gorda also came out in full force and compliments to their teachers, principals and coach Percy as well. They performed very well and Naheem Stevens was the champion youth in his division. They have a lot of talent over there and we have to keep them encouraged and focused.”

Penn said Malone and Sanya Penn have demonstrated consistent performances and there were good overall performances from other quarters. “Overall, the female athletes are doing exceptionally well and we just have to keep them focused and keep them involved.”

The spectator support which grew as the day progressed did not go unnoticed. “Surprisingly as the afternoon came the stands filled up,” Penn noted. “It just goes to show that track and field has a following here. Hopefully by next year we’ll have a proper track and things will be a lot better.”