Carolina PUR - Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell and Cuban Javelin thrower Osleidys Menéndez were selected the best athletes of the Central American and Caribbean region (CAC) in 2005.

Both Powell and Menéndez broke the world record in their respective events.

Cuban Dionisio Quintana, who trains Menéndez, was named the coach of the year, the Central American and Caribbean Confederation (CACAC) and the IAAF-NACAC Coaches Association (NACACTFCA) announced.

The 25-year old Cuban consolidated her dominance in the Javelin and improved her own world record to 71.70 at the World Championships final in Helsinki.

In the Finnish capital, she took her second world title following her first win in Edmonton 2001.

“I am much honored to be selected the best woman of a region with so many great athletes. This is the best reward for all the sacrifice and hard work and I want to share it with my team mates who also had a great year”, said the 2004 Olympic champion.

The Cuban thrower won nine of the 11 competitions she entered in 2005, including the IAAF World Athletics Final in Monaco, and confirmed the no. 1 spot in the IAAF event rankings.

Former Javelin thrower Dionisio Quintana, who trains her since 1994, was named the CAC coach of the year.

The men’s trophy goes to Jamaica’s Powell, who became the world’s fastest man when he ran a wind-legal 9.77 in the 100m at the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Athens, Greece, on June 14.

However, a groin injury prevented him from attending the World Championships in Helsinki and could not run any race after the London IAAF Super Grand Prix on July 22.

Posting the season’s three fastest times (9.77, 9.84 y 9.85), the 22-year old sprinter was included among the five finalists for the IAAF Athlete of the Year and Performance of the Year Awards.

Powell became the fifth CAC athlete who currently holds an IAAF world senior record in an official event.

The others are Menéndez, Cuban Javier Sotomayor (High Jump) and Mexicans Arturo Barrios (20.000m and the Hour) and Bernardo Segura (20.000m track walk).

Powell and Menéndez, selected by a panel of CACAC specialists, will receive the CAC Athlete of the Year Award in their respective countries, in the hands of CACAC and NACACTFCA president Victor Lopez.

The sprinter will be decorated during the CACAC Hall of Fame ceremony in his country and the latter will be honored at the Gala celebrating the centennial of Cuban athletics in Havana. Both events will be held in early November.

In Helsinki, the CAC region produce one of its best performances in the history of the World Championships, totalling 19 medals (four gold, eleven silver and four bronze).

The medallists represented Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico and St. Kitts and Nevis.

The previous CAC Athlete of the Year Awards went to Dominican Republic’s hurdler Felix Sanchez and Mexico’s Ana Gabriela Guevara (2002 and 2003).

Last year, World and Olympic 400m hurdles gold medallist Sanchez shared the honors with Bahamas´ World and Olympic 400m champion Tonique Williams-Darling.

With a successful year almost over, the Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, Colombia, and the IAAF World Cup in Athens will be the region’s main competitive focus for 2006.