National Record Holder and Olympian athlete Eldred Henry placed 1st in the shot put at the USATF San Diego-Imperial Association Championships and High Performance Meet in San Diego, California on Saturday.
Henry achieved a remarkable best distance of 19.03 meters to claim victory, continuing his impressive form in the 2024 track and field season.
This marks Henry’s third appearance this season, following another 1st place triumph at the Tucson Elite Classic at the University of Arizona on May 2, where he registered a distance of 19.53 meters. His consistent performances underscore his drive to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Chantel Malone Competes in Long Jump
Also at the San Diego meet, Olympian Chantel Malone participated in the long jump, achieving a leap of 6.52 meters which placed her 7th overall.
The event was fiercely contested, with American Monae Nichols taking the top spot with an outstanding jump of 7.04 meters. Malone, like Henry, is striving to qualify for the Paris Olympics, seeking to bring glory to the BVI through her athletic talent.
Thad Lettsome Excels in Sailing
In the realm of sailing, Laser Sailor Thad Lettsome showcased his skill at the 2024 ILCA North American Championship.
Representing the Royal BVI Yacht Club, Lettsome secured an impressive 4th place out of 57 contestants, finishing with a total of 47 points. His performance included two second-place finishes in races 7 and 8. The championship was won by American Daniel Escudero, who amassed a total of 21 points.
Lettsome, alongside hurdler Kyron McMaster, are the only two athletes from the BVI to have qualified for the upcoming Olympic Games so far.
Collegiate Athletes Make Their Mark
At the collegiate level, two of the BVI’s athletes have also made noteworthy contributions.
Diamanté Gumbs concluded his tenure with the Northwestern State University Demons by placing 19th in the NCAA Division I Championships Discus Throw, achieving a throw of 55.07 meters.
Meanwhile, sprinter Jaleel Croal competed in the Men’s 200-meter event at the NCAA Championships, finishing 24th overall with a time of 20.99 seconds in Heat 3 of the preliminaries.