Tristan Evelyn, Triston Gibbons set new nat’l records

Tristan Evelyn who is currently at the University of Houston set a new Barbados National Record in the women’s 100m when she stopped the clock at 11.14 secs over the weekend.

Competing at the 2021 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Evelyn replaced the 10-year-old national record of 11.26 secs which was heled by Shakera Reece.

Evelyn had shown her intentions of breaking the record when she was knocking on the door in the preliminaries with the third fastest time on the day of 11.27 secs and just shy of the Barbados National Record.

In the final Evelyn got a good start and was leading the race early, she came out her drive phase and started to pull away from the pack to finish with the amazing time of 11.14 secs which was also a Conference Record.

The time is also an Olympic qualifying time and Evelyn would be the first female sprinter for Barbados since Jade Bailey who competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in the 100m and 200m.

In 2008, Bailey finished second in her heat in 11.46 secs and moved into the Quarter final where she was knocked out with a time of 11.67 secs.

In the 200m Bailey did not make it out her first-round heat after clocking 23.62 secs.

Also in record breaking form over the weekend was Triston Gibbons who won the Shot Put with new Personal Best and National Record mark of 19.05m at the same championships. Gibbons has been paving the way in the shot put and broke his own record of 18.89m set last month on April 23, 2021. It was the third time he broke the national record and is the first time a Barbadian has thrown 19 metres.

The distance was also a new Conference record in the event. He also qualifies for the NACAC under-23.(CG)