San Juan PUR - Mexico's Ana Guevara and Dominican Republic's Felix Sanchez were elected the best athletes of the Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (CACAC) for the second consecutive year, as a result of a survey carried out with experts from the region and the world.

Guevara and Sanchez continued their undefeated campaign, claiming the Pan American Games title in Santo Domingo and the World Championships gold in Paris. They were also chosen the best Latin American sportsman and woman of 2003, according to a poll organised by the Latin American News Agency Prensa Latina.

GUEVARA

The 26-year old star from the northern Mexican state of Sonora became the first woman to run 400 meters under 49 seconds after the 1996 Atlanta Olympic final. Her personal best (48.89) placed her as the eighth fastest one-lap runner of all times.

Her superb performance earned her 44 points, enough to prevail over Cuba's world hammer throw champion Yipsi Moreno (37), Jamaica's Paris silver medallists, 100-meter hurdler Brigitte A. Foster (22) and 400-meter runner Lorraine Fenton (16), as well as Cuba's Yamilé Aldama (12), who took the area record to 15.29, only 0.21cm off the world record.

SANCHEZ

Sanchez extended his dominance over 400 meter hurdles and saved his best race for Paris, where he clocked 47.25 to confirm himself as the seven fastest man ever in this event.

With 45 points, the California-based athlete defeated Saint Kitts and Nevis' Kim Collins (36), a surprising 100-meter winner in the French capital. Third place went to Cuba's triple jumper Yoandri Betanzos (17), Pan American champion in Santo Domingo and silver medallist in Paris. He was followed by Trinidad & Tobago's Darrel Brown (14), runnerup to Collins in Paris, where he improved the world junior record to 10.01. The top five spots includes Germaine Mason (7), a high jump revelation this season, when he claimed the Pan American gold with a personal best of 2.34 and made it to the Paris final.

JUNIOR AWARDS - BROWN BEATS BOLT

Brown and Cuba's Yudelkis Fernandez were elected the best junior athletes.

The Trinitarian (29) prevailed over Jamaican star Usain Bolt (22), who equalled the 200-meter world junior record with a 20.13 run in Barbados and added the world youth title in Sherbrooke to his pedigree. Three Cubans followed: triple jumper David Giralt (18), a 17.31 meter performer with a fourth place in Paris; long jumper Wilfredo Martinez (7), who ended the season with a 7.90 personal best and a win in Barbados, as well as triple jumper Dennis Fernandez (3), who claimed the gold in Sherbrooke.

Fernandez, 18, won the long and triple jump gold medals at the Pan American Junior Champs in Barbados. She also bettered the CAC junior record in the first event to 6.69.

With 25 points, she was followed by Jamaican sprinter Aneisha McLaughlin (17) and three Cubans: middle distance runner Yuneisy Santiusty (11), a 800-1500 meter double winner in Barbados, discus thrower Lisandra Rodriguez (10), gold medallist in Sherbrooke, and high jumper Yarianni Arguelles (6), third in the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo.

The survey was organised by the Central American and Caribbean Confederation (CACAC), with the cooperation of statisticians and other experts of the region and the world.

Founded in 1966, the CACAC comprises 35 countries and will organise its junior championships in El Salvador in June. The main focus is on the Olympic Games in Athens and the World Junior Champs in Grosseto, Italy.

2003 CAC BESTS ATHLETES

Seniors (MEN)

1. Félix SÁNCHEZ (DOM) - 400h

2. Kim COLLINS (SKN) - 100

3. Yoandri BETANZOS (CUB) - TJ

4. Darrel BROWN (TRI) - 100

5. Germaine MASON (JAM) - HJ

Seniors (WOMEN)

1. Ana Gabriela GUEVARA (MEX) - 400

2. Yipsi MORENO (CUB) - HT

3. Brigitte A. FOSTER (JAM) - 100h

4. Lorraine FENTON (JAM) - 400

5. Yamilé ALDAMA (CUB) - TJ

Juniors (MEN)

1. Darrel BROWN (TRI) - 100

2. Usain BOLT (JAM) - 200, 400

3. David GIRALT Jr. (CUB) - TJ

4. Wilfredo MARTÍNEZ (CUB) - LJ

5. Dennis FERNÁNDEZ (CUB) - TJ

Juniors (WOMEN)

1. Yudelkis FERNÁNDEZ (CUB) - LJ

2. Aneisha MCLAUGHLIN (JAM) - 200, 400

3. Yuneisy SANTIUSTY (CUB) - 800, 1500

4. Lisandra RODRÍGUEZ (CUB) - DT

5. Yarianni ARGÜELLES (CUB) - HJ