Cali COL - Bahamian Leevan Sands recorded the best performance of the second day of competitions of the Twenty-first Central American and Caribbean Championships that are taking place in the stadium “Pedro Grajales” of the Colombian city of Cali.

The Twenty-seven year-old Sands Triple jumped 17.29 (wind -0.8) to capture his second gold in this event after the victory in 2003 (17.16), year in which he also earned the bronze medal at the IAAF World Championships.

Twenty year-old Cuban Héctor Dairon Fuentes took the lead in the first round with a PB of 17.23 (-1.2), but Sands responded with his 17.29 effort – a SB and Championship record – in round four. After two fouls and a pass, Fuentes closed with 16.43 and 16.79, while Sands passed his two final jumps. Another Cuban, twenty-two year old Alexis Copello was third with 16.91.

Fine victory in Discus for Yarelis Barrios

Twenty-four year old Cuban Yarelis Barrios also produced a fine result on the infield by taking the first place in the Discus with a 62.87 mark. Barrios, bronze medalist at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, unleashed her best effort of the morning in her second throw. Her whole series was: 61.33, 62.87, 61.24, 59.55, foul, 58.62.

This is Barrios second title at the CAC Championships which reaffirms the domination of the Caribbean nation at the event. With the exception of 1991 and 1999, where its athletes didn’t compete at the CAC, the Discus was always taken by Cuba in the remaining 19 occasions. Another Cuban, Yania Ferrales, was second with 58.74.

Tejeda takes Cuban record

After an impressive preliminary heat ran in a wind aided 12.60 (2.3), twenty-five year-old Cuban Anay Tejeda broke the island’s national record of 100 m Hurdles with a 12.61 (1.4) victory in the final.

Tejeda, the 2002 World Junior Champion and 2008 World Indoor bronze medalist at 60mh, had shown impressive form earlier this season, with a best of 12.73 (Sotteville-lès-Rouen, 15 June), and didn’t waste the fine conditions of Cali, breaking the 11 year-old national record of Aliuska López (12.67, Atlanta, 29 July 1996). Her compatriot Yenima Arencibia was second with a PB of 12.95, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Alesha Barber was third with a NR time of 12.98.

The gold is the first for Tejeda at the CAC Championships, and also represents an improvement to the 12.70 championship record of Delloreen Ennis-London (2003).

Jefferson Pérez breaks South American record

Ecuador’s Jefferson Pérez, the 1996 Olympic Champion and 3-times World Champion continues with his preparation for the Beijing Games, and since South American athletes were invited to compete in Cali, the 34 year-old from Cuenca took the opportunity to improve his oldest area record.

Pérez contested the 20000m Race Walk and grabbed the first place with a 1:20:54.9 clock which improves his old record by the slim margin of 5/10. The 995 of elevation of the venue, Cali makes Pérez’s time even more remarkable. Curiously, the previous top was set in 1996 (Bergen, 4 May), the year of Pérez’s Olympic breakthrough. Colombian James Rendón was a distant second with 1:25:22.7.

Great relay display by Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago took both 4x100m relay races, boosting its chances to be among to top 16 teams in the World in order to participate at the Beijing Olympic Games.

The male race was obtained in 38.54, ahead of Bahamas (39.22) and Saint Kitts and Nevis (40.81). The team was composed by Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Aaron Armstron and Richard Tomson.

In the female event, the clock was 43.43, a new NR, set by Semoy Hackett, Ayanna Hutchinson, Sasha Springer-Jones and Kelly-Ann Baptiste. Colombia was second with a SB of 43.56, while Brazil was third with 43.69.

At the Javelin, forty-three year-old Bahamian Laverne Eve took the victory with a 56.36 throw. This is Eve’s seventh title at the event – and fifth consecutive. No other athlete has reached such a tally. Cuban Discus thrower Carmen Romero has 5 victories in a row (1969-77) and six in total.

The city of Cali, host of the event for the second time in its history, will see the last day of competitions on Sunday 6 July.

Results – July 5

Men

1500

1 Isaías Haro MEX 3:45.15

2 Nico Herrera VEN 3:45.39

3 Maury Castillo CUB 3:47.17

110m Hurdles (2.3)

1 Shamar Sands BAH 13.32

2 Paulo César Villar COL 13.45

3 Héctor Coto PUR 13.55

TJ

1 Leevan Sands BAH 17.29/-0.8*

2 Héctor Dairon Fuentes CUB 17.23/-1.2

3 Alexis Copello CUB 16.91/-2.1

Dec

1 Yosley Azcuy CUB 7408

2 Steven Marrero PUR 7256

3 Andrés Mantilla COL 7164

4x100

1 TRI 38.54

2 BAH 39.22

3 SKN 40.81

20000m Walk

1 Jefferson Pérez ECU 1:20:54.9 SAmR

2 James Rendón COL 1:25:22.7

3 Allan Segura CRC 1:27:57.2

Women

1500

1 Rosibel García COL 4:24.62

2 Yamilé Alaluf MEX 4:25.43

3 Muriel Coneo COL 4:28.92

3000m Steeplechase

1 Ángela Figueroa COL 10:18.23

2 Milena Pérez CUB 10:45.46

3 Sonny García DOM 12:16.51

100m Hurdles (1.4)

1 Anay Tejeda CUB 12.61* NR

2 Yenima Arencibia CUB 12.95

3 Alesha Barber TRI 12.98 NR

HJ

1 Levern Spencer LCA 1.91

2 Caterine Ibargüen COL 1.88

3 Marielys Rojas VEN 1.79

LJ

1 Bianca Stuart BAH 6.54/-1.0 (2nd best 6.48)

2 Shana Proctor ANG 6.54/-1.6 (2nd best 6.45)

3 Charisse Bacchus TRI 6.49/-1.3

SP

1 Cleopatra Borel-Brown TRI 18.39

2 Yumileidi Cumbá CUB 18.10

3 Yaniubis López CUB 17.87

DT

1 Yarelis Barrios CUB 62.87

2 Yania Ferrales CUB 58.74

3 Annie Alexander TRI 54.56

JT

1 Laverne Eve BAH 56.36

2 Yanet Cruz CUB 56.14

3 Kateema Riettie JAM 54.90

Hep

1 Yariadmi Argüelles CUB 5862

2 Yasmiani Pedroso CUB 5833

3 Thaimara Rivas VEN 5302

4x100

1 TRI 43.43 NR

2 COL 43.56

3 BRA 43.69

10000m Walk

1 Claudia Ortega MEX 50:10.37

2 Milángela Rosales VEN 51:06.83

3 Ingrid Hernández COL 52:44.84

* Championship record

(Foto cortesía de Fernando Neris)