Handal Roban lowers his own record

Eighteen-year-old Handal Roban has reset the St Vincent and the Grenadines Under-20 male 800m record for the second time this year.

Roban, a sixth form student of the Jamaica College, did so last Saturday at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/ Jamaica Olympic Association Destiny Meet at the Jamaica National Stadium.

Competing for the Jamaica College, Roban clocked 1:49.94, to better his 1:50.30 done on April 21 at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association Qualification Trial Series, held at the Calabar High School Facility.

Roban’s new time in the event stands just outside the senior St Vincent and the Grenadines record of 1:48.60, achieved by Eversley Linley in 1992.

Roban, who is also the holder of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Under-20 1500m record, as well as the Intermediate male 400, 800 and 1500m best times at the Inter Secondary School Athletics Championships (ISSA), said breaking more national records is on his agenda for the rest of 2021.

A gold and bronze medallist at the Junior Carifta Games in 2018 and 2019, respectively, Roban was also a bronze medallist at the 2019 North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Under-18 Championships in Mexico.

During his outings this year, Roban has qualified for the 800m, at the 2021 World Junior Athletics Championships, which takes place in Nairobi, Kenya in August.