By Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway
Shot Putter Savianna Joseph prepared to throw
A Collegian and two home-based athletes have brought the BVI’s 52nd Carifta Games qualifiers to three, after weekend competition. St. Thomas University Freshman Shot Putter Saviana Joseph had her first Collegiate victory and Kijana Callwood had her first win on home soil, as they joined Othniel Gillings as the qualifiers for the Easter weekend competition in Trinidad and Tobago.
During her fifth attempt on Friday, Joseph won the event at the RADD Sports College Invitational and Multis in Gainesville, Florida, with a heave of 12.11m (39’8¾”), to qualify for the Carifta Games U-20 Girls division. Three of her six throws in the series were 12.00m (39’4½”) or better—a first in her career.
Competing in the 2nd Dag Samuels Development Series meet at the A. O. Shirley Grounds on Tortola Saturday, Callwood won the Discus Throw with a toss of 37.08m (121’7¾”), exceeding the mark for the U-20 Girls event. Meanwhile, Othniel Gillings who has already qualified in the U-17 Boys High Jump, added the 100m when he won the event in a personal best, 11.17 seconds.
Joseph, who won U-17 Girls Shot Put gold in 2022, was fifth last year after finishing seventh when she moved to the U-20 division in 2023. “Starting out wasn’t the best because the indoor circle is always dusty but throughout the competition, I gained more confidence which led me to throw an indoor personal best in my second meet,” Joseph said. “The first time going over 12m for the season was actually surprising as it’s early in the season but to know that I still have it is quite great.”
Joseph, who struggled to hit the Carifta Games qualifying mark last year, said the difference this year is being around a bigger group of people, having a better throwing circle than the one at home and competing against larger fields than the small pool at home.
“As it’s my last Carifta Games, qualifying early sets me up to know that I have a better chance (to medal) than before now that I’ve officially qualified, it now helps me to focus on gaining more distance in the Shot Put,” she said. “I’ve been working on getting more height during my release and working on the middle part (of the rotation) during the spin.”
As she adjusts to collegiate competition, Joseph described it as “tiring but exciting.” “You’re getting to sort your talent in the lab for a couple days, then going back out and transferring what you’ve learned, being able to meet new people and new competitors,” she said. “But at the same time, it’s sometimes very tiring because you have to balance school.”
In other action, Joseph’s teammate Jordanne Thomas ran 7.66 seconds to break the St. Thomas University 60m school record in winning her heat and was 9th of the 39 competitors. She then ran 25.38 secs to win her 200m heat with the 11th fastest mark of the 49 entries. Teammate Khamauri Crabbe, ran the 60m in 7.14 seconds, his 200m in 22.57 secs and the 600m in 1 minute, 25.18 seconds. M’Khori Crabbe was timed in 7.15 in the 60m and ran 50.25 in the 400m. Mikei George had a time of 7.44 secs in his 60m dash.
Meanwhile, Anegada’s Kimberly Smith shattered the Eastern Washington University 6.12m (20’1”) indoor Long Jump record, when she cut the sand at 6.25m (20’6¼”), to win the Lauren McLuskey Memorial Open. She moved to No 2 on the BVI All Time Indoor List. Her performance earned her Big Sky Conference Field Performer of the Week.
Cloud County Sophomore strongman Andre Smikle, opened his season with a 14.15m (46’5”) effort in the 35lbs Weight Throw, at the Pitt State University NAIA/JUCO Challenge.
Love Joy High School senior Long Jumper Cristal Daly, started her season at the Bama Showcase with a leap of 5.43m (17’9¾”) to place 8th overall. She also ran the 60m in 7.91 seconds.
