NACAC President Victor Lopez, left, with the 2014 BVI Athletes of The Year Presented by Sol. L-R: Nelda Huggins, Jr. Female; Chantel E. Malone, Sr. Female; Kyron McMaster, Jr. Male and Arianna Hayde, Youth Female Athlete of The Year. Photo: Todd VanSickle

Malone who was honoured by the BVI Government a week earlier after winning the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games Long Jump gold medal  and was fourth during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland over the summer, won the award for the third time since 2011.

She was ranked #55 in the world in the Long Jump after leaping 6.55m in the Commonwealth Games.

“It’s very uplifting to have these kinds of events because we don’t want our work to go unnoticed and I feel it gives the athletes something to look forward to at the end of the year,” Malone said. “By having this event, it’s a boost for them because they want to be Athlete of the Year, they want to be the top in their class and so they work hard towards achieving the plaque.”

Eldred Henry, who became the first athlete in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) region to throw the Discus over the 200ft mark with his toss or 61.90m and became the Territory’s third 
collegian to win an individual National Jr. College title, collected his successive senior honor. Henry’s Discus mark has him ranked at #75 in the world in 2014.

Sprinter Nelda Huggins who established National Jr. Records in the 100 and 200m with marks of 11.59 seconds and 23.91 while qualifying for the IAAF World Jr. Championships before placing sixth in the Youth Olympic Games 100m, also repeated as Jr. Female Athlete of the Year.

Kyron McMaster who took up the 400m Intermediate Hurdles in January after a breakout year in the open 400m in 2013, then struck Carifta Games bronze in just his third race, was the Male Jr. Athlete of the 
Year. McMaster established a National Jr. Record in the 400m Hurdles when he ran 53.26 seconds and qualified for the IAAF World Jr. Championships and also competed in the Youth Olympic Games.

Youth Female Athlete of the Year honours went to Arianna Hayde who tackled the Heptathlon and established a National Jr. Record when she scored 3769 points in placing seventh at the Carifta Games debuting in the multi event.

Djimon Gumbs won the Youth Male Athlete of the Year award. He had the top marks in both the Shot Put and Discus Throws and joined his sister Trevia who won the 2012 Jr. Female award becoming the third 
brother-sister combo to pull off the feat. Koen and Kala Penn and Tarique and Tarika “Tinker Bell” Moses are the other siblings to achieve the feat.

The Road Racing Athletes of the Year saw the closest battles as well. Ravi Sukhu and Curvin Andrews were the male recipients and Rosmond Johnson and NiMade Oniashi were the female winners.

North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (NACAC) President Victor Lopez praised the BVI Athletics Association for holding a gala in honour of its outstanding athletes.“I wish every NACAC area association would have one of these events,” Lopez said. “Nowadays, it’s very important for our young kids to be recognized and be honoured because they have too many distractions such as entertainment and other activities that they could devote themselves to. An event like this is a reward for the young athletes and the senior athletes for the work they have been doing throughout the whole year.”

Lopez who coached for 26 years at Rice University where he was inducted into their Hall of Fame and the Victor Lopez Classic is held annually in his honour, said track and field is a lot of sacrifice with long hours throughout the year.

“Events like the gala and other events where they recognize outstanding achievements like they had for Chantel E. Malone last week after she won the CAC Games Long Jump gold medal, is an important event,” he noted. “The kids like to be recognized and honoured and it gives them a chance to be together and it inspires the young ones to become like the seniors. Parents also appreciate it very much because of the sacrifice they too make in supporting their kids.”

Athletes of the Year presented by Sol

2014 BVI Athletics Association Youth Male Athlete of the Year—Djimon Gumbs
2014 BVI Athletics Association Youth Female Athlete of the Year—Arianna Hayde
2014 BVI Athletics Association Jr. Male Athlete of the Year –Kryon McMaster
2014 BVI Athletics Association Jr. Female Athlete of the Year—Nelda Huggins
2014 BVI Athletics Association Sr. Male Athlete of the Year—Eldred Henry
2014 BVI Athletics Association Sr. Female Athlete of the Year—Chantel Malone

Most Outstanding Athletes Awards by Divisions

2014 Most Outstanding Combined Events Female Athlete—Trevia Gumbs
2014 Most Outstanding Combined Events Male Athlete—Eldred Henry
2014 Most Outstanding Men’s Open Track Athlete—Shaquoy Stephens
2014 Most Outstanding Women’s Open Track Athlete— Tahesia Harrigan-Scott

2014 Most Outstanding Men’s Open Field Athlete—Eldred Henry

2014 Most Outstanding Women’s Open Field Athlete—Chantel E. Malone
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Track Athlete— Khari Herbert
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-20 Track Athlete—Taylor Hill
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Field Athlete—Kevin Vanterpool
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-20 Field Athlete—Tynelle Gumbs
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-18 Track Athlete—Kyron McMaster
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-18 Track Athlete—Nelda Huggins
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-18 Field Athlete—Akeem Bradshaw
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-18 Field Athlete—Dekoya Hodge
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Track Athlete— Jelani Norman
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Track Athlete—Beyonce DeFreitas
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Field Athlete—Djimon Gumbs
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Field Athlete—Arianna Hayde
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under 13 Field Athlete—Koen Penn
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under 13 Field Athlete— Xiomara Malone
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-13 Track Athlete—J’Quaan Smith
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-13 Track Athlete—Zara Brown
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under-11 Track Athlete—Kyron Walwyn
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under-11 Track Athlete—Izariah Frett
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under 11 Field Athlete—Kyron Walwyn & Stephen Emmanuel
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under 11 Field Athlete—Izariah Frett
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under 9 Field Athlete—Asia McMaster
2014 Most Outstanding Girls Under 9 Track Athlete— Adaejah Hodge
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under 9 Field Athlete—Jobari Pembeton
2014 Most Outstanding Boys Under 9 Track Athlete—Kahleem Lettsome

2014 Premier Dental Collegiate Athlete of the Year—Eldred Henry

2014 College Classic Series Overall Male Co-Champions Khiry Creque & Tarique Moses
2014 College Classic Series Overall Female Champion Katrina Crumpler
2014 Most Improved Female Athletes—Deya Erickson, 100m Hurdles and Shaniyah Caul, 400m
2014 Most Improved Male Athlete—Kyron McMaster, 400m Hurdles

Coach of the Year—The Coaches of Top Notch Track Club

2014 Male Road Race Athlete of the Year—Co-champs Ravindra Sukhu and Curwin Andrews
2014 Female Road Race Athlete of the Year—Co-champs Rosmond Johnson and NiMade Oniash
2014 Colonial Insurance Comeback Athletes of the Year-Kiara Huggins
2014 BVI Athletics Association Officials Awards—Muriel Penn, Dezarre Woodley and Steve George
2014 BVI Athletics Association Lifetime Achievement Awards—Gordon Calendar and Claudius “Claudie” Smith.