When the last athlete had finished competing at the second North American Central American and Caribbean Track and Field Championships earlier this month, there was one athlete on the bubble to qualify for the 15th International Association of Athletics Federations on Aug. 22-30 World Championships in Beijing, China.
Tahesia Harrigan-Scott had already punched her ticket, but Chantel Malone was .01 centimetres short of the 6.70-metre long jump qualifying mark with a personal best of 6.69 metres. But Virgin Islands track and field officials petitioned the IAAF and Ms. Malone was granted an invitation for her third successive championships.
The event kicked off with the IAAF electing SebastianCole as its new president during the federation’s 50th congress.
Ms. Harrigan-Scott, who has qualified for the sixth consecutive time, missed her personal best of 11.13 seconds with her fastest time since 2011 when she ran 11.14 seconds in July to win the USA Club Championships in New York.
Ms. Malone will carry her 6.69-metre personal best into the competition.
Ms. Harrigan-Scott will be the first to see action in the 100-metre prelims on Sunday, followed by Ms. Malone in the long jump prelims on Thursday. Beijing is 12 hours ahead of the Virgin Islands.
{fcomment}