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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Athletes strike gold!

BLAINE Simmons and Allison Outerbridge both put in superb performances last week at the 10th Biannual Caribbean Union of Teachers Track and Field Championships in Jamaica when they led Bermuda's 18-strong team to fifth place at Kingston's national stadium.

Coach of the Bermuda Union of Teachers team, Cal Simons, said: "Both Blaine and Allison really put in good performances and they set new records at the meet. They are two of Bermuda's up and coming athletes and you will see much of them in the future."

Simmons, who was competing in his first overseas meet, rose to the occasion when he won three gold medals in the Under-11 division.

First he blew away the field in the 100 metres with a time of 13.63 and his second gold medal came in the 200 metres in which he ran a time of 27.91.

He then topped off his performance with a gold medal long jump of 15 feet five inches ? eight inches better than the old mark.

Outerbridge began by winning the gold medal in the Under-13 high jump clearing four feet nine inches ? some five inches better than the previous record.

She then won the bronze medal in the Under-13 long jump with a leap of 15 feet one inch.

Bermuda's team was not finished as Justin Donawa, the son of top Bermuda runner Jay Donawa, won three silver medals in the Under-9 age group. His silvers came in the 80 metres, 100 metres and the long jump where he leaped 14 feet one inch ? which beat the previous record. However Jamaica's Shakiel Chattoo jumped one inch further for the gold.

Other athletes winning medals were Nandi Wood who won bronze in the Under-13 400 metres, Rakeeya Butler who won bronze in the Under-13 javelin, Akilah Martin who won two bronze medals in the Under-15 javelin and discus and Angela Dickinson who took home the bronze medal in the Under-15 200 metres.

Some 500 young athletes competed at the meet from nine Caribbean countries. Host country Jamaica was first with 512 points followed by Barbados with 411 points and Trinidad with 402 points.

Bermuda came fifth with 208 points.

Jamaica's Prime Minister P.J. Patterson was on hand to present some of the medals.