Four double champions emerge at National Championships

Four athletes were double gold medallists when the 2024 Wendell Hercules National Championships concluded last Sunday May 5, at the Diamond Track Facility.

IT DAT Academy’s Keo Davis won the Men’s 100m and 200m in 10.56s, and 21.22s respectively; with Teia Laborde of Team Mustangs doing the same in the Women’s sprint events. Laborde’s winning time in the 100m was 12.38s, and in the 200m, she stopped the clock at 25.20s.

Also a double champion was Team Mustangs’ Zichri Hepburn, who claimed the Men’s 1500m in 4:16.19, and 5000m in 18:37.05; while Adrian Sam of ROSES Academy, took the Men’s Long Jump with a leap of 6.65m and cleared the bar in the High Jump at 1.90m.

X- Ceed’s athletes domination of the field events ensured that their athletes topped the medals table in these events.

Their gold medal winners were Jimmual Compton who won the Men’s Shot Putt, with a 12.70m throw; Maxwell Pompey- Men’s Javelin (49.03m); Kiara Ollivierre, the Women’s Shot Putt (8.91m); Nabia Pompey, the Women’s Discus ( 31.99m); and Amia Edwards, the Women’s Long Jump (4.78m).

Other winners in the Field events included Alia Mc Dowall of High Performance who took the Women’s Triple Jump (10.01m); Alika Smith, ROSES Academy, the Women’s High Jump (1.55m); Serani Roban of the St Vincent Grammar School, the Men’s 400m Hurdles ( 1:00.38); IT DAT Academy’s Andre Spencer taking the Men’s Discus, with a throw of 40.90m; and Romaul James of High Performance who secured the Men’s Triple Jump, in 13.64m.

Other gold medallists were:

Kesiann John of High Performance, who won the Women’s 1500m, with a 5:28.63 clocking.

Chatoyer’s Malakye Nero who ran away with the Men’s 800m in 2:02.33; while Zekisha Kelly of Team Mustangs took the Women’s race in 2:26.52.

Meanwhile, Shaquania Jacobs of X- Ceed Sports Club, claimed the Women’s 400m, in 56.84s; and Biomechanics’ Akani Slater champed the Men’s in 47.46s.

The Championships, named in honour of former St Vincent and the Grenadines middle distance athlete Wendell “ Hercules, saw action on April 27, May 4, and May 5.

Hercules, a former student of the St Martin’s Secondary School and the St Vincent Grammar School before migrating to the USA, represented St Vincent and the Grenadines in several regional championships.

Hercules died in February, 2017; and, to celebrate his love for the sport, Team Athletics SVG in 2019, began attaching his name to the National Championships.

There have since been editions in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Hercules’ widow, Hazeldine, along with daughters, Michele and Nichole, were again on hand to assist with the presentation of medals.