The 2024 National Youth and Senior Championships are set to take place this weekend at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Ground, featuring some of the British Virgin Islands’ top athletes who will return to the territory to compete in their respective disciplines.
The event, which runs from June 21 to 22, promises to be a highlight in the local athletic calendar, bringing together national record holders and Olympians.
In a recent interview with 284 Media, General Secretary of the BVI Athletics Association (BVIAA), Stephanie Russ-Penn, shared insights about the upcoming championships and the athletes who will be participating.
Among the notable names are Olympians Chantel Malone and Eldred Henry, along with Adaejah Hodge, Rikkoi Brathwaite, Beyonce Defreitas, Djimon Gumbs, and Jaleel Croal.
Russ-Penn detailed the schedule for the championships, noting that field events will commence on Friday, while the opening ceremony and track events will take place on Saturday.
This year’s national championships are not only a key event within the BVI Olympic Committee’s Olympic Day Festival but also serve as a qualifier for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
Athletes who meet the Olympic qualifying standards in their disciplines will have the opportunity to compete on the world stage in Paris. For those who fall just short of the Olympic qualification standards, a recently implemented ranking system offers a potential pathway to the Games.
Russ-Penn explained that this system benefits athletes whose performances are close to the qualifying marks.
Among those who could likely qualify for the Olympics through this ranking system is Rikkoi Brathwaite, whose recent performances have shown promise.
284 Media also caught up with Jaleel Croal who revealed that he will be competing in the 100 meters, the 200 meters and the 4×100-meter relay.
He spoke about his closest rivals in those events.