Over the past weekend in San Antonio, Texas, many records were broken as the United States romped to the head of the medal table of this second NACAC under-25 Championships with sixty-seven medals.
Five years ago in Nassau, at a NACAC workshop sponsored by the IAAF Development Department, the decision was made to hold an Area Championships. Every other area in the world had held championships before then.
At an Area Congress during the CAC Games in 1998 in Maracaibo, Venezuela it was agreed that the championships would be for athletes under 25.The first championships was held in Monterrey, Mexico.
The San Antonio Sports Foundation hosted this second edition of the Championships, just two weeks before the decision will be made on the host for the 2007 Pan American Games; San Antonio and Rio de Janeiro are the contenders.
In the 100m Jason Smoots of the USA set a new meet record in 10.22secs. Crystal Cox from the United States won the 200m in a new record of 23.02secs.
Chris Brown of the Bahamas set a new record in the 400m when he clocked 45.50secs. On the women’s side NCAA Champion Allison Beckford from Rice and Jamaica ran a new record of 51.21secs. Crystal Cox finished second in 51.63secs and defending champion Christine Amertil of the Bahamas finished third in 52.80secs.
Achraf Tadili of Canada established a new 800m record of 1:48.19 as the USA’s Chantee Earl won in a record 2:03.17.
In the hurdles the USA had two Sydney Olympic medallists come up with victories. Terrence Tramell, the Olympic silver medallist for 110m Hurdles finished in a record 13.45secs. James Carter, the bronze medallist for the 400m hurdles won his event in a record 48.95secs.
Jamaica’s Toni Ann D’oyley ran an impressive 12.92secs in the 100m hurdles for another record.
On the field the performances were just as impressive.
Pan Am Games High Jump star Juana Arrendel of the Dominican Republic was impressive with her record leap of 1.95m.
Osbourne Moxey of the Bahamas upped his personal best to 8.19m as he set a new record in the Long Jump. The USA’s Scott Jeremy jumped 5.55m(18’2-1/2”) in the Pole Vault for another record and USA Gold.
The closing events, the 4x400m relays saw the USA taking both in new meet records. For the men, Godfrey Herring ran a 44.6secs split, powering his team to a 3:05.19 win. Crystal Cox, the 200m winner and 400m runner up ran a 51.9secs split, which helped her team win in a new record of 3:30.60.
The future looks bright for the Championships as five cities are bidding to host the 2004 edition.
Alpheus Finlayson for the IAAF
