This could be Grenada's moment as Francique and Regis compete in Pan Am Games' 400m finals.
by Michael Bascombe
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Grenada's remaining hopes of medalling in the XIV Pan American Games here are within hours of accomplishing that feat.
Quarter-milers Alleyne Francique and Hazel-Ann Regis were impressive in their semifinals on Thursday night and could be in line for collecting Grenada's first ever Pan Am Games medals.
Francique won his semifinal heat with the fastest qualifying time of 45.31 secs while Regis also won her heat with the fastest semifinal time of 52.21.
While Francique has a comfortbale field to contend with Regis has the likes of world champion Ana Guevara of Mexico and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alliann Pompey of Guyana to compete against.
However, this could be the crowning moment for athletics in Grenada with Francique and Regis receiving medals.
Meantime, the Bahamas and Jamaica added to their medals tally while a number of other Caribbean athletes qualified on the third day of track and field competition at the Pan American Games at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Stadium.
Laverne Eve of the Bahamas had to settle for silver in the women’s javelin throw as American Kim Kreiner 60.86 metres on her last attempt to overtake leader Eve (60.68m).
Madrea Hyman of Jamaica was third in the women’s 1500m (4:10.08) as Cuba’s Adriana Munoz clipped American Jayne Harrelson at the wire to win the women’s 1,500 in 4: 09.57 to 4:09.72. Monoz’ victory also ended a string of four straight Pan American Games in which a U.S. woman had won the gold medal in the 1,500.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Cleopatra Borel was sixth (17.23m) in the women’s shot put.
Fourteen Caribbean runners qualified for four final events on the penultimate day of competition. Danielle Browning of Jamaica (23.21), Cydione Mothersille of Cayman Islands (22.89) and Shandria Brown of the Bahamas (23.85) are into Friday’s final.
Christopher Williams of Jamaica (20.71), Clement Campbell also of Jamaica (20.89), Kevin Arthurton of St Kitts and Nevis (20.98) and Trinidad’s Julieon Raeburn (21.02) will feature in the men’s 200m final.
Grenada’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) 400m champions Hazel-Ann Regis and Alleyne Francique are chasing their country’s first ever Pan American medals on Friday.
Regis qualified for the final with the fastest time (52.21), along with Guyana’s Aliann Pompey (52.23), Novlene Williams of Jamaica (52.76) and Michelle Burgher also of Jamaica (53.13).
Francique, a former NCAA Indoor Champion, also had the fastest qualifying time (45.31) over the one-lap event. Jamaica’s Michael Campbell (45.79) and Davian Clarke (45.93) will join Francique in the final.
The men’s pole vault was postponed Thursday night because of thunderstorms and will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The women’s high jump was moved back to a 7:30 p.m. start on Friday.
In other results, Barbados lost to the Dominican Republic 3-0 in men’s volleyball. The scores were 25-22, 31-29, 25-18.
In Table Tennis, Barbados was on the losing end as Kibiki Moseley and Kristle Harvey retired to Johenny Valdez and Carmen Bejaran of the Dominican Republic in womne’s doubles and Trevor Farley and Robert Roberts lost to Gustavo Tsuboi and Bruno Anjos of Brazil 4-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7).
In Tennis, Richele Lesaldo and Ariana Marshall were beaten by Brazil’s Bruna Colosio and Joana Cortez, 6-1 6-1 in women’s doubles quarterfinal. Jamaica’s Dustin Brown and Damar Johnson were also losers to Marcel Felder and Martin Vilarrubi of Uruguay 6-3 6-3 in men’s doubles.
The Caribbean suffered a third loss when brothers Shane and Troy Stone lost to Victor Estrella and Johnson Garcia of the Dominican Republic 6-2 7-6 (7-5) also in men’s doubles.
In Women’s Field Hockey, Trinidad and Tobago lost to the Dominican Republic 6-1 and Jamaica went down to Uruguay 5-0.
Francique, Regis and Morain search for Pan Am Games medals
by Michael Bascombe
SANTO
DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - It
was a rest day on Wednesday for Grenadian
athletes at the 14th Pan American Games here in the Dominican
Republic, but the attention sways from Tuesday’s disappointment to
Thursday’s anticipation.
Following
an unsuccessful attempt by Bruce Swan, Shane Charles and Neisha Bernard-Thomas
to make it to the medal round, Alleyne Francique, Hazel-Ann Regis and Jackie-Ann
Morain make their first appearance on the track.
Swan
was through to the semifinal of the men’s 100m but did not qualify for the
final eight while Charles made a spirited run in the men’s 400m hurdles but
also failed to make the final cut.
Bernard,
who won gold at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Grenada last
month, competed in a fast heat one and her third place finish in that heat in a
time of 2:04.22 did not give her a final placing.
So
the attention turns to the one-lap event with Francique to compete in the
men’s semifinal from 9:20 Thursday evening and Regis and Morain in the
women’s version 20 minutes later.
However,
Swan would have try to redeem himself in the 200m preliminaries and possibly
semifinal.
Meantime,
Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas copped medals for the English-speaking
Caribbean on the first day of competition.
NCAA
Division One hammer throw champion, Candice Scott finished third behind Cubans
Yipsi Moreno and Yunaika Crawford while Daphne Saunders of the Bahamas was
second in the women’s long.
Grenada's medal hopes now lie with Francique and Regis
Posted August 6, 2:30 a.m.
Stories by Michael Bascombe
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – It was a disappointing start for Grenada on the opening day of track and field at the XIV Pan American Games at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Stadium here on Tuesday.
Bruce Swan, Shane Charles and Neisha Bernard-Thomas failed to qualify for the final of their respective events.
Swan, who earlier were among qualifiers from the first round, posted 10.79 seconds in the semifinals. He will now focus on the 200m on Thursday.
Charles contested the 400m hurdles but was just outside of making the final and competing against the world’s leader Feliz Sanchez of the Dominican Republic. He clocked 51.15 seconds.
Bernard-Thomas who won the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Grenada last month, did not qualify for the women’s 800m final. She finished third (2mins 04.22secs) in heat one of the competition.
None of the Grenadian athletes will be in competition on Wednesday but Swan, Alleyne Francique and Hazel-Ann Regis will compete on Thursday.
Swan competes in the 200m while Francique and Regis go after the 400m men and women respectively.
Meanwhile,
the Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago won medals on a
challenging opening day of track and field competition.
Jackie
Edwards of the Bahamas copped silver in the women’s long jump while Candice
Scott finished third in the women’s hammer throw event.
Edwards,
who trailed eventual winner Alice Falaiye of Canada (6.43 metres), recorded the
second best jump of 6.41m in her third attempt. Cuba’s Yangelis Savigne as
third with 6.40m.
Daphne
Saunders of the Bahamas (5.90m) and Colleen Scott of Jamaica (5.76m) finished
eighth and ninth respectively.
Scott
picked up the bronze medal in the hammer throw as Cuba took the first two
positions.
The NCAA
Division One champion could not match the efforts of Cuba’s Yipsi Moreno and
Yunaika Crawford. Moreno broke American Dawn Ellerbe’s Pan American Games
record of 65.36m with a personal best throw of 74.25. Moreno’s winning toss is
the third best mark in the world this year.
Crawford
registered 69.57m for the silver while Scott finished with 69.06m to take the
bronze.
On the
track, the Caribbean enjoyed success in the semifinal qualifying rounds of the
100, 800 and 400 hurdles.
Michael
Frater of Jamaica (10.39) and Nicconnor Alexander of Trinidad and Tobago (10.42)
are into the men’s final while Tamika Clarke of the Bahamas (11.54), Fana
Ashby of T&T (11.56), Savatheda Fynes of the Bahamas (11.67), and Judith
Kitson of Jamaica (11.71) advanced into the women’s final.
Andrea
Blackett of Barbados (55.85), Debbie-Ann Parris of Jamaica (55.97) and her
compatriot Allison Beckford (56.85) are among qualifiers for the final of the
women’s 400m hurdles on Wednesday. Dean Griffiths of Jamaica will be the lone
English-speaking Caribbean athlete to chase pre-race favourite and homeboy Feliz
Sanchez. Griffiths qualified with 49.08. Douglas Lynes of the Bahamas did not
qualified for the final but he posted his personal and seasonal best of 51.12.
In the
800m, Letitia Vriesde of Suriname (2:03.77), Hazel Clark of the United States
(2:03.54), Marian Burnette of Guyana (2:04.17) and Sheena Gooding of Barbados
(2:04.77) made the women’s final while Trinidadian Kirk Sherridan (1:49.78)
and Marvin Watts of Jamaica (1:50.18) were the male qualifiers.
In
tennis, Trinidadian Shane Stone played the match of his life as he faced former
world number one Marcelo Rios of Chile in center court action on Tuesday.
But
Stone lost 6-2, 6-2. His brother Troy also lost in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 to
Marcel Felder of Uruguay.
Trinidad’s
Annaliesse Rose dropped a set to Marcela Rodezno of El Salvador to win 6-2, 5-7,
7-5 in men’s singles qualifiers.
In other
tennis results, Richele Lesaldo of Barbados lost 6-1, 6-0 to Maria Cruz of El
Salavador, Dustin Brown of Jamaica also lost in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to Miguel
Gallardo of Mexico, Alana Broderick of Jamaica pushed her match to three sets
with American Carly Gullickson but lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, and Duane Williams of
Barbados lost to Jose DeArmas of Venezuela 6-2, 6-4.
In
women’s hockey, Jamaica lost 3-0 to Canada and Chile beat Trinidad and Tobago
3-1. Barbados lost 3-0 to Venezuela in volleyball and Sean Morrison and Nolan
Trash of Trinidad and Tobago lost 2-0 to Hugo Gaona and Ramon Martinez of
Paraguay in beach volleyball.
Swan qualifies for 100m semis on Tuesday
Posted 2:45 p.m. August 5, 2003,
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Bruce Swan
qualified for the semi-final of the men’s 100m on the opening day of track and
field competition at the XIV Pan American Games here on Tuesday.
Swan,
running in heat one, was fourth in 10.45 and qualified as the fastest loser for
the semi-final scheduled for Tuesday night.
American
Mickey Grimes ran a personal best of 10.08 to head the list of qualifiers which
also include Jamaicans Sheldon Morant (10.30) and Michael Frater (10.34).
Also
qualifying for the semi-final round are Nicconnor Alexander of Trinidad and
Tobago (10.45); Delwayne Delaney of St Kitts (10.51); Daniel Bailey of Antigua
(10.53); and Jacey Harper of T&T (10.57).
Both
Delaney and Bailey posted personal bests in the preliminaries.
Next in competition is Shane Charles in the 400m hurdles scheduled for 6:25 p.m. ahead of the men’s 100m semi-final at 7:05 p.m. and the semi-final of the women’s 800m with Neisha Bernard-Thomas.
Day 1 Morning Results
Finals
20K Race Walk – 1. Jefferson Perez, Ecuador, 1:23.06; 2. Bernardo Seguar,
Mexico, 1:23.31; 3. Alejandro Lopez, Mexico, 1:24.33; 7. Timothy Seaman USA
(Chula Vista, Calif.), 1:33.24; 8. John Nunn, USA (Chula Vista, Calif.),
1:35.34.
Women’s Hammer Throw - 1. Yipsi Moreno, Cuba, 243-7 (74.25) (Pan American
Games record – old mark 214-5, Dawn Ellerbe, United States, 1999); 2. Yunaika
Crawford, Cuba, 228-2 (69.57); 3. Candice Scott, Trinidad & Tobago, 226-7
(69.06); 4. Anna Norgren-Mahon USA (Orange, Conn.), 220-1 (67.09); 5. Dawn
Ellerbe, USA (Columbia, S.C.), 215-8 (65.75).
Decathlon Men’s 100 – 1. Stephen Moore, USA, (Plainview, Texas), 10.75, 917
points; 2. Luiggy Llanos, Puerto Rico, 11.02, 856 points; 3. Enrique Aguirre,
Argentina, 11.06; 4. Yonelvis Aguila, Cuba, 11.16, 825; 5. Kip Janvrin, USA,
(Warrensburg, Mo.), 11.28, 799 points; 6. Santiago Lorenzo, Argentina, 11.31,
793; 7. Octavious Gillespie, Guatemala, 11.48, 757.
Decathlon Men’s Long Jump – 1. Luiggy Llanos, Puerto Rico, 24-6 ¼, (7.47),
927 points; 2. Stephen Moore, USA, (Plainview, Texas), 23-11 ½ (7.30), 886
points; 3. Yonelvis Aguila, Cuba, 23-2 (7.06), 828 points; 4. Enrique Aguirre,
Argentina, 22-11 ¾ (7.00), 814 points; 5. Santiago Lorenzo, Argentina, 22-7 ¼
(6.89), 788 points; 6. Kip Janvrin, USA, (Warrensburg, Mo.), 22-1 ¾ (6.75), 755
points; 7. Octavious Gillespie, Guatemala, 18-3 ¾ (5.58), 498 points.
Preliminaries
Men’s 100
Heat One – 1. Mickey Grimes USA (Ontario, Calif.), 10.08; 2. Michael Frater,
Jamaica, 10:34; 3. Churandy, Martina, Netherlands Autilles,10.42; 4. Bruce Swan,
Granada, 10.45; 5. Delwayne Delaney, St. Kitts and Nevis, 10.51; 6. Diego
Ferreira, Paraguay, 10.64; 7. Xavier James, Bermuda, 10.83.
Heat Two – Anson Henry, Canada, 10.45; 2. Rolando Blanco, Guatamala, 10.53; 3.
Alexander Reyes, Cuba, 10.55; 4. Jacey Harper, Trinidad-Tobago, 10.57; 5.
Derrick Atkins, Bahamas, 10.59; 6. Jayson Jones, Belize, 10.82; 7. Azik Graham,
St. Vincent & Grenadines, 11.05
Heat Three- 1. Sheldon Morant, Jamaica, 10.30; 2. Edson Ribeiro, Brazil, 10.37;
3. Daniel Bailey, Antigua, 10.53; 4. Danis Garcia, Dominican Republic, 10.58; 5.
John Smith, Dominican Republic, 10.69; 6. Wladimir Afriani, Haiti, 10.83; 7.
Marcelle Scales, USA (Franklin, Tenn.), 10.96; 8. Andres Gallegos, Ecuador,
11.22.
Heat Four - 1. Nicconnor Alexander, Trinidad & Tobago, 10.45; 2. Jarbas
Mascarenhas Jr., Brazil, 10.52; 3. Juan Pita, Cuba, 10.65; 4. Jamiial Rolle,
Bahamas, 10.84; 5. Esabille Donnell, St. Kitts & Nevis, 10.90; 6. Luis
Moran, Ecuador, 10.96; 7. Stephane Rabel, Haiti, 11.18.
PREVIOUS
STORIES
Three athletes for Pan Am track and
field today
Posted August 5, 2003
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Track and field competition at the XIV Pan American Games begins on
Tuesday and Bruce Swan, Shane Charles and Neisha Bernard-Thomas will be among
the first to compete.
Swan goes into the first
round of the men’s 100 metres while Charles competes in the 400m hurdles and
Bernard-Thomas in the 800 metres, both beginning at the semi-final stages.
After almost a week of
preparation here the time has come for them to challenge their mission.
Meantime, Grenada’s 4x400
metres women’s relay team could be in jeopardy of qualifying for next year’s
Summer Olympics in Athens.
The quartet of
Bernard-Thomas, Hazel-Ann Regis, Jackie-Ann Morain and Kishara George could find
themselves making a last-ditch effort for qualification.
The team was hoping to gain
the qualifying time during the XIV Pan American Games here but an injury to
George has cast doubts on the team’s participation in the event on Saturday.
George has already been
ruled out of participating in the 400m hurdles on Tuesday.
Team physiotherapist Garvin
Taylor told GRENADASPORTS George sustained a ‘mild ankle sprain but is expected to compete
in the relay’.
However, previously team
officials said that an x-ray revealed only a swelling but no signs of an injury.
Posted August 3, 2003
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Moments after his arrival here Alleyne Francique started quizzing about his mission at the XIV Pan American Games.
The 2003 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships 400m gold medallist has the next few days to fully prepare for his first preliminary on Thursday.
Francique is keen on extending his winning Caribbean streak ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Paris, France later this month.
His competition field looks quite interesting with two US college athletes among his main pre-race challengers. However, he could face a spot of bother if homeboy Feliz Sanchez competes in he flat one-lap event.
Sanchez could post a decent time in the event.
Apart from Francique and with the exception of Bruce Swan, Neisha Bernard-Thomas and Alleyne Lett some of the team members appeared to be losing focus.
There is already concerns about the ability of the women's 4x400m relay team to compete since Kishara George has been on clutches for the past three days.
She had a twisted ankle during a training session although x-rays revealed that there was only a slight swelling.
This could jeopardise the other members of the relay team who were hoping to gain a qualifying time for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Small, but determined Team Grenada
Posted July 31, 1.05 AM
by Michael Bascombe
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Team Grenada
arrived and settled in the athletes’ village on Wednesday ahead of the 14th
Pan American Games here, starting on Friday.
When
the track and field competition gets going on Tuesday, Francique,
Bernard-Thomas, Bruce Swan and Hazel-Ann Regis will start their campaign.
Francique and his team ready for Pan Am battle
Tuesday 29 July 2003
Santo Domingo.- When the 14th
Pan American Games get going here on Friday, Grenada’s small contingent should
be ready for the challenge.
The team except two, has been utilizing the facilities at the
National Stadium in Grenada, including the state-of-art gym for their
preparations.
With the exception of Alleyne Francique and Neisha
Bernard-Thomas, the training has been systematic.
Francique has been warming up for the Games in Europe and has
put himself in contention for the gold medal in the 400m. His recent performance
in Spain underlines his ability to be a world-beater over the one-lap event.
800-metre specialist Bernard-Thomas, who ran what was
considered the most competitive event at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC)
Championships in Grenada earlier this month, could face the most competitive
line-up in her career. Mexico’s Ana Gabriela Guevara, the world’s leader is
a likely contender for the gold medal.
Regis, is considered a bright spot in the team and could also
be among the medal contenders in the 400m.
The rest of the female team – Kishara George and Jackie-Ann
Morain, who will complete the 1600m relay quartet – should go the distance.
On the men’s side, Bruce Swan will be the first to see
competition next Tuesday when he goes into the first round of the men’s 100m.
He will also compete in the 200m
Alleyne Lett, the only field event competitor, competes in his
pet event – the discus throw – next Friday. Francique will team up with
Swan, Shane Charles and Sheldon Noel to compete in the men’s 4x400m relay.
Outside of track and field, Grenada’s heavyweight boxing
champion, Andy Grant, who missed out on qualifying in Colombia in May, gets a
wildcard and depending on the draw could make it into the medal ring.
Grenada has never won a medal at the Pan American Games and
many are hopeful that following the success at the CAC Championships, this
country could bring a halt to this medal drought at these Games.
Dominican Republic’s Felix Sánchez and Mexico’s Ana
Gabriela Guevara will relive good memories of the start of their athletics
stardom, in Santo Domingo, a good test prior to the IAAF World Championships in
Paris.
Four years ago in Winnipeg, Canada, Sanchez represented his
country internationally for the first time, while Guevara clinched the gold in
the 400 meters.
Then a psychology student at the University of Southern
California, the New York-born athlete contacted the Dominican Olympic Committee
and asked them to register him in the 400-meter hurdles. He finished fourth in a
personal best of 48.60.
He is now the current World champion and his winning streak
from 2001 has transformed him into a idol in a country passionate for baseball.
The 25-year old will carry the Dominican flag in the opening
ceremony and is considered the most secure gold for the host nation, organizing
its first ever major sporting event.
Competing in front of his own public for the first time, Felix
Sanchez will try to break Brazil’s three-time winner, Eronilde de Araújo,
Games' record of 48.23, looking for his sixth consecutive win of the season
before traveling to Paris to defend his World title.
The Dominican Republic has won only three gold medals in the
history of the Games and has only achieved two silver and one bronze in
athletics. Local high jumper Juana Arrendel lost her crown in Winnipeg due to a
doping offence and will start as a strong favorite for victory this time,
considering her PB of 1.97.
One year after claiming the Iberoamerican title in Lisbon,
Mexico’s Ana Gabriela Guevara proved her potential in the 400 meters by
beating more experienced rivals from Cuba, the United States and Jamaica.
As in Winnipeg, the 26-year old from Sonora will carry the
Mexican flag in the opening ceremony this Friday in Santo Domingo’s
30,000-seater Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Stadium, built in the 1970’s and
restored especially for the Games.
Undefeated since the 2001 Edmonton World Championships final,
Guevara will try to erase Ana Fidelia Quirot’s Games record of 49.61 and will
lead her country’s 4x400 quartet, supported by Mayra Gonzalez, Magaly Yáñez,
America Rangel and Gabriela Medina.
En route to the IAAF World Championships in Paris, the Mexican
star has won her five races so far this year, including her second best time
ever (49.34) and a world best over 300 meters (35.30).
Cuba is determined to improve its Winnipeg performance and
will send 58 athletes, led by Olympic gold medallists Ivan Pedroso (long jump)
and Anier Garcia (110-meter hurdles) as well as World champions Osleidys
Menendez (Javelin Throw) and Yipsi Moreno (Hammer Throw).
The Island’s most decorated triple jumper, Yoelbi Quesada,
will try to become the first man to win four Pan American titles in a row.
Quesada is very motivated after claiming the bronze last March at the World
Indoor Champs in Birmingham.
Coincidentally, the triple jump has been the most attractive
discipline in the history of the Games as the World record has been broken three
times in the best sporting event of the Americas: Brazil’s Adhemar Ferreira da
Silva (16.56 in Mexico City 1955), Cuba’s Pedro Perez Dueñas (17.40 in Cali
1971) and Brazil’s Joao Carlos de Oliveira (17.89 in Mexico City 1975).
The world’s no.1 long jumper Maurren Higa Maggi carries
Brazil’s best hopes and will aim for a golden double as she is also registered
in the Triple Jump. The 26-year old won the Long Jump and finished second in the
100-meter hurdles, in Winnipeg.
This season, she bettered her own South American Triple Jump
standard to 14.53 meters.
A clear favorite to dominate the medal tally, the USA will be
represented by 54 men and 45 women, including nine current national champions:
Eric Thomas (400m Hurdles), Jamie Nieto (High Jump), James Parker (Hammer),
Aretha Hill and Carl Brown (Discus), Erica Wheeler and Breaux Greer (Javelin) ,
Yuliana Perez (Triple Jump) and Kristin Heaston (Shot Put).
Dawn Ellerbe (Hammer) and Hill will try to successfully defend
their Winnipeg titles.
The team also features World Junior record holder Allyson
Felix in the 200 meters (22.11), 1999 Pan Am silver medallist Angela Williams
and 2002 World Junior champion Lauryn Williams, both in the 100.
In the flat one-lap race, Adam Steele and Mitch Potter start
as strong gold medal contenders, considering their superb performances at the
2003 NCAA Championships. Steele ran a winning 44.57, only 0.01 ahead of his
teammate.
As in many regional Games, the Caribbean nations’ strength
is based on their sprinters and Santo Domingo should not be the exception.
Bahamas’ IAAF Golden League jackpot contender Chandra Sturrup and Debbie
Ferguson, winners four years ago in Winnipeg, and Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster,
the fastest 100-meter hurdler this year, among other stars should leave their
names in the record ledgers.
Others will try to repeat their Winnipeg wins in the Dominican
capital, such as Brazil’s Eronilde Nunes de Araujo (400-meter Hurdles),
Claudinei Quirino da Silva (200) and Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima (Marathon),
Mexico’s Adriana Fernández (5000) and Bernardo Segura (20km Walk), Cuba’s
Emeterio Gonzalez (Javelin), Daimí Pernia (400-meter Hurdles), Magalys Garcia
(Heptathlon) and Argentina’s Solange Witteven (High Jump) and Alejandra García
(Pole Vault).
Cuban-born Mexican Liliana Allen needs one medal to equal with
former compatriot Ana Fidelia Quirot as the most medalled winners in the Games.
Quirot ended her successful career with four gold, three silver and a bronze,
while Allen owns three gold and four silver.
Argentina’s long distance runner Osvaldo Suárez (4-2-0) and
Cuban sprinters Leandro Peñalver (2-4-0), Aliuska López (3-2-1) and Miguelina
Cobián (1-4-1) follow with six medals each.
The Pan American Games are considered a major waypoint on the
road to Olympic glory. Great athletes as USA’s Carl Lewis, Evelyn Ashford, Bob
Beamon, Wilma Rudolph, Gail Devers and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jamaica’s Donald
Quarrie, Trinidad and Tobago’s Hasely Crawford, Bahamas’s Debbie Ferguson
and Chandra Sturrup, Ecuador’s Jefferson Perez, Mexico’s Daniel Bautista,
Ernesto Canto and Raul Gonzalez as well as Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor, Maritza
Marten, Maria C. Colon, Ivan Pedroso, Alberto Juantorena and Anier Garcia
savored a Pan Am medal before reaching the highest step of the Olympic podium.
This will be the Dominican Republic's most important sporting
event ever. It previously organized the Central American and Caribbean Games in
1974 and 1986, as well as the Central American and Caribbean Championships in
Athletics in 1981.
Founded in Buenos Aires in 1951 and held every four years, the
14th edition of Pan American Games will be staged 1-17 August in Santo Domingo,
with the attendance of over 5,300 athletes from 42 countries, competing in 35
sports.
Here are the Pan American
Games records:
Event Mark Name
Country Venue Year
100m: 10.06 Leandro Peñalver
CUB Caracas 1983
200m: 19.86A Don Quarrie JAM Cali 1971
400m: 44.45A Ronnie Ray USA Mexico City 1975
800m: 1:45.38 Johnny Gray USA Winnipeg 1999
1500m: 3:40.26 Joaquim Cruz BRA Mar del Plata 1995
5000m: 13:30.35 Armando Quintanilla MEX Mar del Plata 1995
10,000m: 28:20.37 Bruce Bickford USA Indianapolis 1987
Marathon: 2:12:43 Jorge González PUR Caracas 1983
3000m st: 8:14.41 Wander Moura BRA Mar del Plata 1995
110m H: 13.17 Anier García CUB Winnipeg 1999
400m H: 48.23 Eronilde de Araújo BRA Winnipeg 1999
HJ: 2.40 Javier Sotomayor CUB Mar del Plata 1995
PV: 5.75 Pat Manson USA Mar del Plata 1995
LJ: 8.75 Carl Lewis USA Indianapolis 1987
TJ: 17.89A João Carlos de Oliveira BRA Mexico City 1975
SP: 20.52 C.J. Hunter USA Mar del Plata 1995
DT: 67.32 Luis Delís CUB Caracas 1983
HT: 79.61 Lance Deal USA Winnipeg 1999
JT: 79.28 Emeterio González CUB Mar del Plata 1995
Decathlon: 8170 Chris Huffins USA Winnipeg 1999
20km W: 1:20:17 Bernardo Segura MEX Winnipeg 1999
50km W: 3:47:55 Carlos Mercenario MEX Mar del Plata 1995
Rel. 4x100m: 38.18 Brazil Winnipeg 1999
Rel. 4x400m: 2:57.97 Jamaica Winnipeg 1999
Women
Event Mark Name
Country Venue Year
100m: 11.07 Evelyn Ashford USA San Juan 1979
200m: 22.73 Liliana Allen CUB Mar del Plata 1995
400m: 49.61 Ana Fidelia Quirot CUB Havana 1991
800m: 1:58.71 Ana Fidelia Quirot CUB Havana 1991
1500m: 4:05.7 Mary Decker USA San Juan 1979
5000m: 15:46.32 Adriana Fernández MEX Mar del Plata 1995
10,000m: 32:56.51 Nora Rocha MEX Winnipeg 1999
Marathon: 2:37:41 Erika Olivera CHI Winnipeg 1999
100m H: 12.76 Aliuska López CUB Winnipeg 1999
400m H: 53.44 Daimí Pernía CUB Winnipeg 1999
HJ: 1.96 Coleen Sommer USA Indianapolis 1987
PV: 4.30 Alejandra García ARG Winnipeg 1999
LJ: 7.45 Jackie Joyner USA Indianapolis 1987
TJ: 14.77 Yamilé Aldama CUB Winnipeg 1999
SP: 19.34 María Elena Sarría CUB Caracas 1983
DT: 65.58 Maritza Martén CUB Indianapolis 1987
HT: 65.36 Dawn Ellerbe USA Winnipeg 1999
JT: 65.85 Osleidys Menéndez CUB Winnipeg 1999
Heptathlon 6290 Magalys García CUB Winnipeg 1999
20km W: 1:34:19 Graciela Mendoza MEX Winnipeg 1999
Rel. 4x100m 42.62 Jamaica Winnipeg 1999
Rel. 4x400m 3:23.35 United States Indianapolis 1987
Michael Bascombe and Javier Clavelo Robinson
Grenada searching for a Golden moment at Pan Am Games
by Michael Bascombe
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada – Grenada’s top female quarter-miler Hazel-Ann Regis wants to transform her Central American and Caribbean (CAC) gold-medal performance into next month’s Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Grenada’s medal hopes are pinned on Regis, Neisha Bernard-Thomas and Alleyne Francique.
Both Francique and Bernard-Thomas are out of the island but are keen to be in the forefront of Grenada’s medal hopefuls.
Regis told GrenadaSports that her aim is to clock a sub-51 seconds over the one lap event ahead of the World Athletics Championship in Paris, France in late August.
However, the Regis is aware of the need to improve on her performance if she is to stand on the winning podium.
The Pan American Games will involve participation from more than 40 countries including the United States, Canada, Brazil and Argentina.
“I’m focused although the preparations for these Games could be more intense. It’s rather different because at LSU (Louisiana State University) there is more supervision,” Regis said.
The former St David’s Catholic Secondary School (SDCSS) athlete will compete in the 400m and the 1600 metre relay. Neisha Bernard-Thomas, Kishara George and Jackie-Ann Morain will complete the relay quartet.
Bernard-Thomas, who will be joining the team in Santo Domingo, and like Regis is keen on repeating her CAC victory in the 800m.
“My aim is to get around the 2:01 flat or better,” she said.
Both George and Morain, who complete the women’s relay team, are hurdlers with George the most recent to adopt the event.
George, also a former athlete of the SDCSS, only began hurdling in March but is now the top female hurdler at Middle Tennessee State University.
Her season’s best of 59.57 secs at the NCAA Mideast Regional is a new school record. “It was my second time in competition. The first time I competed I clocked 1:02.00 and my coach told me I could do better,” George said.
Francique’s quest for a medal in the Dominican Republic should be on target as he will be fresh from competing in Europe.
Apart from the 400m, Francique will also team up with Bruce Swan, Shane Charles and Sheldon Noel to compete in the 4x400m relay.
Alleyne Lett is the lone field event participant while heavyweight Andy Grant who received a wildcard will participate in the boxing tournament.
The full Grenada team is: Hazel-Ann Regis (440m/4x400); Neisha Bernard-Thomas (800/4x400); Kishara George (400h/4x400); Jackie-Ann Morain (400h/4x400); Alleyne Francique (400m/4x400); Bruce Swan (100/200/4x400); Shane Charles (400h/4x400); Sheldon Noel (4x400); Alleyne Lett (110h/discus); Andy Grant (heavyweight boxer).
The accompanying officials are Emmanuel Roberts (chef de mission); Conrad Francis (track & field coach); Davis Adams (boxing coach); Geraldine Thompson (manager); Garvin Taylor (physiotherapist) and Michael Bascombe (media attaché).