Sports
Beyonce Defreitas strikes gold at American indoor championships!
British Virgin Islands athlete Beyonce Defreitas represents University of Central Florida
By MERRICK ANDREWS, Online News Editor
(JTV News) — The British Virgin Island’s Beyonce Defreitas, representing the University of Central Florida (UCF), won gold and bronze in the women’s 200 meters and 60 meters, respectively, at the Feb. 24-25 American Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships held in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States of America.
Defreitas, a senior at UCF, clocked 23.34 to win the 200m final after producing the second-fastest time, 23. 73, in the preliminaries.
Cecilia Tamayo-Garza of the University of Houston finished second with 23.56 after being the top qualifier from the preliminaries with 23.53.
Defreitas’s UCF teammates held on to third (Kiah Williams, 23.56), fourth (Daija Lampkin, 23.64), and fifth (Rayniah Jones, 23.83).
The former Elmore Stoutt High School student went on to take third place overall and the bronze in the women’s 60m final in 7.36 seconds. She entered the final with the fastest time of 7.34.
Her UCF teammate won the final in 7.29. Jones placed second in 7.35. Lampkin was fourth in 7.40.
However, Defreitas did not have much luck in the 4x400m relay. Defreitas along with Lampkin, Alicia Coleman, and Williams placed seventh in three minutes, 45. 91 seconds.
The Houston quartet of Iman Babineaux, Kelly-Ann Beckford, Linesha Thompson, and Sydni Townsend won with 3:37.90.
Defreitas, 21, is a 200m semi-finalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. She also competed in the same event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon where she was eliminated in the heats.
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) archery team has departed for Kingston, Jamaica, to compete in the 2024 WAAm Caribbean Development Championship. Hosted by the Jamaica Archery Federation (JAI), the event runs from September 18 to 22 and will feature top talent from around the Caribbean and beyond.
The competition provides an opportunity for the BVI team, a mix of beginners and developmental archers, to test their skills against athletes from countries to leave their mark on the regional stage. Leading the charge in the Recurve Beginner Under 15 Men category is Matthew Keandré, while David Persaud will compete in the Recurve Developmental Men category. Both will be testing their skills in the qualification rounds for their respective categories.
The Compound Beginner Under 15 Women category sees Kasadiyah Baird aiming for success, while Naomi Onwufuju and Keyara Smith will represent the BVI in the Compound Developmental Under 18 Women category. Javlyn Frett also joins the developmental ranks in the Compound Developmental Women category, setting her sights on strong results.
Kellyann Tillack, competing in the Recurve Beginner Under 18 Women category, rounds out the squad, each determined to put BVI archery on the map.
Coaches Ritseeniyah Georges and Patrick Smith will be guiding the team through the competition, providing essential support and expertise to help the young athletes navigate this important event.
The competition will feature other archers from regional heavyweights like Jamaica, the Bahamas, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaica, the host nation, leads the pack with a 34-member contingent, while countries like Guyana and the US Virgin Islands (USVI) are also sending strong teams. The United States has joined the competition as well, bringing an additional level of intensity to the championship.
In Round 3 of the 45th Chess Olympiad, the British Virgin Islands notched its first win in the Open division, with Jhon Samuel securing a crucial victory on Board 2 against Bermuda.
The historic event, featuring a record-breaking 193 teams in the Open section and 181 squads in the Women’s competition, is being held in Budapest, Hungary, from September 10-23.
For more updates, follow BVI Chess Federation.
Virgin Islands Premier Concludes Key Talks in London, Sets Stage for Stronger UK Partnership
Thirteen Restaurants to Serve Up Lobster Delights at Anegada Lobster Festival 2024
British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission Welcomes New Leadership
-
Local News2 weeks agoSearch Underway After Vessel Capsizes Off Jost Van Dyke, One Dead, One Missing
-
Local News2 weeks agoOil Spill Forces Temporary Road Closure in Fish Bay
-
Local News1 week agoThirty-Six Naturalized as British Citizens in Ceremony at Government House
-
Education2 weeks agoEighty Virgin Islands Public Officers Complete Customer Service Training
-
Elections 20232 weeks agoVirgin Islands Releases 2024 Preliminary Voters List for Public Review
-
Local News2 weeks agoBritish Virgin Islands Premier Leads Delegation to London for Key Talks on Governance, Finance, and Climate Change
-
Local News1 week agoMajor Road Rehabilitation Projects Underway
-
Education2 days agoHLSCC Expands Global Educational Pathway with CMI Level 3 Diploma