Vincentians athletes at the staging of the XIX Central American and Caribbean Junior Track and Field Championships found the going tough in El Salvador last weekend.{{more}}

The best performance in the championships for the Vincentians, in terms of final placing, was achieved by Nicky Ann Stephens.

The 17-year-old Stephens, the lone female representing St Vincent and the Grenadines, finished fourth in the Triple Jump and fifth in the Female Under-18 Long Jump.

Stephen’s distance in the Triple Jump was 11.22 m and in a Long Jump, her best effort was 5.30 m.

Brandon Valentine-Parris won his heat in the 400 m in 48.62 seconds, which was the second fastest time and earned him a place in the finals.

He faltered in the final, dropping to sixth in a time of 48.89 seconds.

Valentine-Paris, though, was able to get to the finals of the Male Under-18 800 m, but did not finish. Valentine-Paris reached the finals with a time of 1 minute 56.59 seconds in the heats, which was the third best entry into the finals.

Kasique Oliver, who also participated in the 800 m in that age category, clocked 1 minute 59.11 seconds, which put him fifth in his heat, but was not good enough to see him through to the last eight.

Oliver placed tenth in the 1500 m finals in 4 minutes 19.35 seconds.

Roberto Boyd placed fifth on both occasions in the Male 100 m and 200 m, also at the Under-18. Boyd’s times were 11.20 seconds in the 100 m and 22.42 seconds in the 200 m, again not fast enough to get him past the preliminary stages.

The other Vincentian who made the trip, Kemroy Cupid, competed in the Under-18 Male age group.

He clocked 11.40 seconds in the 100 m and 22.54 seconds in the 200 m, to place seventh in both instances.

All Vincentians athletes competed in the B class of the championships.

Jamaica copped the overall medal count with 44: 20 gold, 15 silver and 9 bronze.

The Vincentian contingent, which was managed and coached by Rawlson Morgan, was due back in the state last night. (RT)