Handal Roban sets two new records in one run

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2025 was a red letter day for Vincentian track athlete, Handal Roban, when he competed at the 2025 North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Open Championships, held at Freeport, Bahamas.

Competing in the men’s 800m final, Roban clocked a personal best of 1:42.87 to win gold in the event.

In the process, he once again broke the all -time St Vincent and the Grenadines record. Not done, Roban reset the championships’ best time, wresting it from the USA’s Ryan Martin, who clocked 1:45.79 achieved in Costa Rica in 2015.

In the process, Roban, who attends Penn State University in the USA, also broke that institution’s record in the 800m, eclipsing Isaiah Harris’ 1:44.42.

Completing the list of achievements, Roban’s time became the second fastest in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).

Roban’s gold last Saturday, August 16,saw him going one better than his 2022 outing, when he placed second.Then, he was able to gain the accolade of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ all-time 800m record holder, having clocked 1:47.03. He was one of two Vincentian athletes who medalled at the NACAC.