The Portsmouth Amateur Athletics Club extends gratitude to all our sponsors and supporters who made our participation at the 19th Trupial Auto City Athletics Invitational possible. The club emerged with 11 gold, 4 silvers and 2 bronze medals as they went up against teams from Barbados, Jamaica, Aruba, Puerto Rico and Curacao.

The results were as follows:

Ross University Lenon Toussaint went in the finals of the 100 meters 15-16 boys’ category confident to land gold as he posted the fastest time from the heats. However he had to settle for silver behind Kedron Myers of Jamaica who clocked 11.72 seconds. Following the 100 meters finals he went into the long jump and retain his title from last year. He won gold with a leap of 5.91 meters ahead of his team mate M & R Trading Eldy Mills who took silver with a leap of 5.88 meters.

Lennox Honeychurch Bram Sanderson took gold in the 17-19 boys javelin in front of his team mate First Choice Delight Renard Paul who secured the silver to give Dominica another one two finishing. Bram went on to win gold in the 5 kilometers road race and could not complete his quest for 3 gold as he was knocked into the silver medal position after a fine performance from Benshemir Dall of Curacao who ran 2:06.23 in the U-20 boys 800 meters.

Miss Shirley Francis and Mrs. Mary Toussaint came on board as the team’s chaperons but they did more than just cater to the needs of the athletes. They entered in the 40 and over category of the 5 kilometers road race and surprisingly won gold and bronze respectively. When asked, what propel their performance? The response was, “We had to maintain the standard set by the athletes.”

The most outstanding performances from the team came from Miss Rituals Portsmouth Luan Gabriel and Fine Foods Incorporated KFC Damian Frank. Luan won gold in the 13-14 girls 80 meters 10.24, 400 meters 59.86 and claim a new national record in the long jump with a leap of 5.15 meters. She will represent Dominica in St. Kitts from July 23rd – 26th.

The athlete who walked away with the most gold of them all was Fine Foods Incorporated KFC Damian Frank who captured a total of 4 gold medals. He secured these titles in the 13-14 boys’ long jump 5.53 meters, 80 meters 9.59 seconds, javelin 47.76 meters and 2 kilometers road race. This young man is one of Dominica’s future potentials for the multi-event challenge.

Indeed this was a proud moment for the team coach Nabi Wallace to see the athletes reap the fruits of their hard training.

What pleases him most is that the athletes were able to give their sponsors valuable performances for the investment they made in the team.

There is no doubt that Dominica was well represented as the athletes set a mark of distinction at this invitational meet. Thank you to the president of the Netherlands Antilles Mr. Ruthsel Martina for the invitation alongside club Trupial.

To our special friends Tati, Shida and Lenny from Curacao we look forward to the day when we can host you here in Dominica. Thank you for the dinner and social outing the athletes can’t stop talking about it.

Digicel Dominica, Ambassador Nanthan and Honourable Roosevelt Skeritt our sincerest gratitude goes out to you along with the athletes’ main sponsors, supporters and well wishers.

Yours in the continued advancement of sports,

Nabi Wallace

Head Coach Portsmouth Amateur Athletics Club.