U.S. Virgin Islands athletes Tabarie Henry, left--400m; David Walters, 100m and Leon "Bookie" Hunt, Long Jump
MAY 30—Three of six U.S. Virgin Islands athletes will compete in the Virgin Islands for the first time as professional athletes in the 2nd BVI Twilight Invitational on Tortola on June 7.
Sprinter Laverne Jones-Ferrette, quarter miler Tabarie Henry and Heptathlete Wanetta Kirby will run in the Virgin Islands for the first time, while Leon Hunt and David Walters are seeking another victory in the Long Jump and 100m respectively and Ninfa Barnard will be returning to familiar ground.
Hunt has one thing on his mind—improving his BVI All Comers Long Jump Record of 7.65m set in 2009. “That isn’t going to stand,” he declared in the competition that will be his season opener. “I’m going past that. I’ve been working on something special to bring down to the Virgin Islands where it all started. We are looking for a good welcoming and a safe meet for everybody.”
For Henry who has competed around the globe, this is his first competition in the Virgin Islands where his parents will get a chance to see him live. “We are divided by just a channel so we want to come together as one big country and do it good,” he said. “Coming off an injury, my season has been going good as I hadn’t run in two years of dealing with achilles issues, so the season is progressing and that’s always good in track and field.”
Henry said he’s looking for a good lane and good competition which he’ll get from the Bahamas Chris “Fireman” Brown, who won an IAAF World Indoor Championships silver medal in March and helped his country to a 4x400m relay silver medal during last week’s inaugural IAAF World Relays in Nassau, with a strong third leg carry.
“All year I have been having bad lanes so hopefully I should get a good lane, there’ll be a good crowd and I’ll have a good time,” he said. “This year I’m not focusing on beating people but regaining my strength and regaining my confidence. I’m just looking to get pulled through to a 45 seconds run and anything can happen. I’m not going to lay down and let somebody beat me, but, it’s going to be great, good competition.”
In his last time on Tortola in 2010 when the meet was the BVI Invitational before it became a professional meet last year and renamed the BVI Twilight Invitational, Walters won the 100m. “I’m looking to repeat my victory,” he said. “This will also be an opener for me. I’ve had a long and stressful season, but hopefully, I can shake it all off. I’m looking for anything below 10.3 seconds. I just want to run fast.”
The BVI Twilight Invitational will start at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. Professional athletes from throughout the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Region will compete in the one day meeting.