As the athletics season nears a crescendo, Anguilla’s young athletes came to fine form while participating in the 2012 Leeward Islands Junior Track and Field Championship in the Tortola over the weekend. Competition for this event was fierce as athletes from Antigua, Anguilla, St. Croix,St. Thomas, and Montserrat, Trinidad, Guadeloupe,St. Martinand the BVI produced some dazzling times.
Anguilla’s Zharnel Hughes stole the show as he established two new records in the 100m and 200m dash with times of 10:45 and 21.26 seconds respectively. Consequently, he was adjudged the best athlete at the Championship. Carifta bronze medalist, Dee Ann Rogers, also showed her true colours as she won the heptathlon. Her efforts established the record for the heptathlon as it was the first time it was held.
Debutant Theron Niles silenced the BVI crowd by placing second in the high jump, with a height of 1:83m. This height placed him four centimeters short of Anguilla’s high jump record (1:87m) set by Brent Barzey in 1991. Nicole Gumbs was also impressive as she placed second in the javelin and high jump and third in the long jump.
The Anguilla Amateur Athletics Federation would like to congratulate the athletes and coaches on their performances. The AAAF would also like to publically thank Anguilla Air services and the Sports Department, as well as parents for ensuring the athletes were able to travel to Tortola.
Table 1: Results from the 2012 Leeward islands Track meet
Name Event Time/ Distance Position
Zharnel Hughes 100m, 10:45 sec; 1st
200m 21:26 sec 1st
4x100m relay 45:91 3rd
DeeAnn Rogers Heptathlon 3813 points 1st
Nicole Gumbs Javelin, 20:12m 2nd
Long Jump, 5:00m 3rd
High jump 1:45m 2nd
Richelle Meade High Jump; 1:40m 3rd
long jump 5:15m 2nd
Renee Fleming 100m 12:90 3rd
200m 26:75 3rd
Theron Niles High jump 1:83m 2nd
4x100m relay 45:91 3rd
Mauriel Carty 4x100m relay 45:91 3rd
D’quan Fredricks 4x100m relay 45:91 3rd
Rekiesha leverett 400m 1:04 3rd
High jump 1:40m 2nd
Donilia Reid 100m 13:62 8th
Angelina Gumbs 200m 27:30 5th
