MEDALS and personal bests were the order of the day when five members of the Mid-Island Striders Track Club and one Flyers Track Club member returned this week from the 41st Loucks Games in White Plains, New York.

The six athletes along with Striders' head coach Bill Euler braved 45 degree weather and rain at the meet to return to Bermuda with seven medals and two personal bests.

Euler said: "I'm really proud of these guys for not only competing in this weather but also doing their best under these adverse conditions. Coming from Bermuda and the month of May, you don't expect this type of weather let alone compete in it.

"When we arrived, the officials still weren't sure they were going to have the long jump as the runway and board were wet. But they ended up doing the boys and the girls at the same time with Zacch Rawlins (Mount St. Agnes), Shawnae Brangman (Warwick Academy) and Jasmine Brunson (Bermuda High School) competing for Bermuda and their schools. The long jump overlapped the 100 metre trials with Rawlins and Brangman having to get some quick jumps in before running over to the start of the 100."

Euler said that both Rawlins and Brangman bolted out of the blocks in the 100 winning their heats and qualifying for the finals.

Brangman, competing in only her second overseas/international meet and one of the youngest in the field posted a personal best of 12.57 dropping .31 seconds off her previous PB done at this year's Carifta Games.

"She ranked second going into the finals where she placed second overall earning our first medal," said Euler.

Rawlins went onto place sixth in both the 100 metres and long jump, but pulled out of the 200 metres finals because of a sore knee.

Top female jumper, Jasmine Brunson not only qualified for the finals in the long jump but went on to win with a jump of 5.65 metres out of a field of 26.

This earned Brunson the coveted "Olympian Trophy".

Brunson also went on to place third out of 36 in the triple jump. Also competing in the rain and cold was top middle distance runner Deanne Lightbourn, Anthony Bailey and Akilah Martin who all attend the Berkeley Institute.

Lightbourn, competing with a unpleasant weather with a cold managed to place fourth (out of 45) in the top seeded 800 metres with her third fastest time of her life ¿ 2:15.05

"I didn't think Deanne would be able to pull it off being sick and running in this bad weather, but she did it! I'm really proud of her," said Euler.

Lightbourn is a former Striders athlete now training with the Bermuda Flyers under the tutelage of Donna Watson and Mike Watson.

Akilah Martin, competing for Berkeley Institute, also posted a personal best in the girls shot put when she threw 11.23m (36' 7 ¼") placing fourth out of 28 athletes and went on to place fifth (out of 27) overall in the discus throw.

"The shot was so cold against my neck and my hands were freezing," said Martin.

Anthony Bailey in his debut overseas/international competition went out strong in the first 400 metres of the boys 800 metres race, but was unable to maintain his pace and managed only a 2:11.76.

Euler said: "Anthony looked strong but lacked the experience of running with so many runners at one time (15). In Bermuda, the average number of runners in the 800 is eight with half being girls so you don't experience being boxed in or knowing when to make your move past eight or more runners.

"All in all we are pleased with their performance considering the conditions. We took six athletes and came home with six medals."

Rawlins was also sixth in the 100 metres out of 66 runners, sixth in the in the long jump out of 28 and eighth in the 200 metres out of 69 athletes.

Brangman was second in the 100 metres out of 38 athletes and 14th in 200 metres out of 55 runners.

The meet was held last weekend and the athletes were Shawnae Brangman (Warwick Academy), Deanne Lightbourn (Berkeley Institute), Akilah Martin (Berkeley Institute), Jasmine Brunson (Bermuda High School), Zacch Rawlins (Mount St. Agnes), Anthony Bailey (Bermuda Institute).