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VITFF Bulletin: V.I. Athletes Starting Outdoor Track and Field Season

Michelle Smith (Submitted photo)

Michelle Smith Virgin Islands Track and Field team member Michelle Smith, a high school junior at Montverde Academy, competed in the Bob Hayes Invitational, on March 18.

She opened up her outdoor season by running a U.S. leading time of 59.02 in the 400m hurdles in the preliminary rounds, beating the previous U.S. leader by 2 and a half seconds. Smith followed that performance up with winning the final in 59.24 two hours later. This is very impressive because breaking the 1-minute barrier is a big challenge in the 400m hurdles, which is one of the toughest and most physically draining events on the track, and Michelle did it twice in a couple of hours.

Michelle will be competing next at the Bob Hayes Relays in Jacksonville Fla., March 17.

Preliminary rounds 400m Hurdles link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6TI3Cj-Qg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOL6QN6bv6k

Final 400m Hurdles link:

Michael Dizon-Bumann 2023 (Submitted photo)

Michael Dizon-Bumann Virgin Islands Track and Field team member Michael Dizon-Bumann, a freshman at Cornell University and graduate from Good Hope Country Day, opened up his Outdoor Track and Field season at the Penn Challenge in Philadelphia Penn. He finished 3rd in his heat of the 800m and ranked 8th overall with a time of 1:58.34.

The Virgin Islands National Team traveled to Puerto Rico to open up their 2023 Outdoor Track and Field Season. Yashira Rhymer-Stuart, Maia Campbell and Raynier Charlery competed in the Spring Break Classic on March 17 and 18, in Carolina, P.R.

Yashira Rhymer-Stuart (file photo)

Yashira Rhymer-Stuart competed in the high jump and finished in 1st place with a jump of 1.70m.

Maia Campbell (Submitted photo)

Maia Campbell finished first in the shot put with a throw of 13.89.m.

Raynier Charlery (Submitted photo)

Raynier Charlery competed in the U20 – 100m dash and finished 3rd with a time of 11.04

Omari Bennett (Submitted photo)

Omari Bennett Virgin Islands Track and Field team member Omari Bennett, a senior at Hammond High School in Columbia, S.C., competed in his home meet, the Hammond Meet, on March 15. He finished first in the shot put with a throw of 38 feet and 2 inches. On March 18, Bennett competed at the Redhawk Invitational in Orangeburg, S.C., where he finished 1st in the 100m hurdles in a time of 15.96.

Bennett’s next competition will be the Orangeburg Prep Meet in Orangeburg, S.C., on March 22.

Nicola Peters (Submitted photo)

Nicola Peters Virgin Islands Track and Field team member Nicola Peters, a junior at Sparkman High School, competed in the Homewood Invitational in Homewood, Ala., on March 18.

She finished 3rd in the 100m dash in a time of 12.53 seconds, which is a top 25 time in the state of Alabama. In the 200m, Peters finished in 4th place with a time of 26.11.

Nicola will compete next at the Florence Invitational in Florence, Ala., on March 23.

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