Vincy athletes bag 22 medals at Whitsuntide Games outing

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) had a 22-medal haul at the 2017 Whitsuntide Games, staged at the Kirani James Stadium in Grenada, last weekend.

Buffed by young athletes, some of the emerging talents showed their wares in the two-day event held Saturday and Sunday.

Gold medals

Making a sweep of gold medals in their events were Ulanda Lewis, Romar Stapleton and Zita Vincent.

Lewis, contesting in the females Under-14, won the 100m, 200m and the 400m, while Stapleton in the males Under-16, did likewise, with Vincent bossing the 800m and 1,500m of the females Under-18.

Lewis’ times were 100m (12.61 secs.), the 200m (24.50 secs) and the 400m (1 minute 00.12 secs.)

For Stapleton, his 100m was done in 11.26 secs, the 200m (22.89 secs) and the 400m (56.12 secs).

Vincent, who is bound for the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG), clocked 2 minutes 18.88 seconds in taking gold in the 800m and 4 minutes 53.71 seconds in the 1,500m.

Four other Vincentian athletes stood at the top podium, after taking gold in their respective events.

They were Kyle Lawrence, Zamesha Myle, Javon Rawlins and Javiel Saxon-Delpesche.

Lawrence won the Under-14 males 100m and 200m, in 11.92 and 24.06 seconds, respectively.

Meanwhile, Myle took the females Under-18 400m in 58.92 seconds; Rawlins, the males Under-18 high jump in 1.85m and Saxon-Delpesche, the Under-20 males 400m in 49.12 seconds.

Rawlins is part of the SVG team to the CYG.

Silver Medals

Kyle Lawrence, Darria Matthias and Truloni Mc Kenzie, collected silver medals.

Lawrence got silver in the 400m, in a time of 57.27 seconds, while Matthias, who is also set for the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, was second in both the 100m and 200m of the females Under-18.

Her time in the 100m was 12.33 seconds and the 200m, 24.97 secs. Mc Kenzie got his in the males 800m Under-18.

Bronze Medals

SVG gained five bronze medals, compliments Rawlins, Saxon-Delpesche, Tarique John and Akani Slater.

Rawlins crossed the finish line in the 100m with his first sub-11 seconds, as he timed 10.95 seconds and was also third in the triple jump, reaching his furthest distance of 13.72m.

Saxon-Delpesche’s 200m time was 22.42 seconds which placed him third; Tarique John was also third in the Under-18 200m in 22.06 seconds and Slater, competing in the international category of the 800m, did 1 minute 52.27 seconds, to earn a bronze.

And, despite not medalling, the two other athletes who were part of the St Vincent and the Grenadines team, Jaffeisha Ackie and Cody Bartley, who are primary school students, returned encouraging performances, as they competed in the Under-14 age group.

Rawlson Morgan, coach and chaperone Alexandra Walrond formed the team’s management.