The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

Bstubbs2tribunemedia.net

COMING off what could only be described as an exceptional year for the North American, Central American and Caribbean, president Mike Sands said their athletes will be hard pressed to surpass their achievements in 2021, but they’re looking forward to greater success in 2022.

“The performances of 2021 leaves us with great anticipation and excitement for 2022, even though 2021 will be a very hard act to follow,” Sands said. “I’m still confident that our area athletes, coaches and management teams will rise to the occasion as they always do.”

The year culminated with Jamaica’s sprint star Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica carting off the AIPS Best Female Athlete of Year 2021 and World Female Athlete of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2021.

“Not to be left out are our junior athletes, who gave a very good account of themselves in Nairobi, Kenya that saw several world records and the performances of our athletes gave the NACAC area the awards for the Rising Male and Female Athletes of the year,” Sands reflected.

There are a number of events on the calendar for this year, including the World Athletics’ World Indoor Championships, scheduled for March 18-20 in Belgrade, Serbia, the World Athletics’ World Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, July 15-24 and the Commonwealth Games, set for July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England.

Of course this year, NACAC intends to launch its series of events to supplement with the Diamond League where areas in the region will get a chance to compete against their peers in a series of meets, particularly for those who won’t be eligible to compete in Europe.

And for the junior athletes, NACAC will be working towards the successful return of the top junior regional meet with the CARIFTA Games being staged in powerhouse Jamaica over the usual Easter holiday weekend. The meet was called off the past two years because of COVID-19.

“We have a lot to be thankful for from the 2021 season and I’m looking forward to 2022,” Sands said.

“Many of our stars were born out of the CARIFTA Games and with all things being equal, NACAC is looking forward to great performances from our athletes as they did in 2021.”

Joining Thompson- Herah, a triple sprint gold medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games were the Bahamas’ 400m gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo in a race that saw Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino and USA’s, Allyson Felix rise on the podium as well with the silver and bronze and another sweep in the women’s 100m hurdles with Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, USA’s World record holder Kendra Harrison, and Jamaica’s Megan Tapper.

On the men’s side, USA’s Ryan Crouser smashed the world record in the shot put, Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment, USA’s world champion Grant Holloway and Jamaican, Ronald Levy provided a 1-2-3 finish in the 110m hurdles and both Canada’s Andre De Grasse and Bahamas’ Steven Gardiner triumph ed in the 200m and 400m respectively.

Athing Mu, the 19-year-old American collegian, was awarded the World Athletics Female Rising Star award for her amazing feat in the 800m, while 17-year-old American Erriyon Knighton, earned the Male Rising Star award after he erased a few of legend Usain Bolt’s junior records.

NACAC received other World Athletics awards: the Member Federation Award to Costa Rica, host to the NACAC U18 and U23 Championships; and the Coaching Achievement Award to USA’s, Bobby Kersee.

Sands congratulated all of the athletes, coaches and management team for their accomplishments in 2021 and wished everyone great success in 2022, despite the rise in COVID-19 around the world.

He encouraged everyone to be safe and adhere to the safety protocols that are in place.