Tahesia Harrigan-Scott displays her 2010 CAC Games Gold medal following up on the one she won in 2006
NOVEMBER 21—When it comes to the Caribbean and Central American Games, British Virgin Islands veteran sprinter Tahesia Harrigan-Scott has already etched her name in history.
In 2010, she became only the third woman to ever repeat as CAC Games 100m champion since women began competing in the games in 1938 and the first English speaking athlete to do so.
Prior to that, the last 100m repeat winner was Cuba’s Lilianna Allen in 1990 and 1993.
Now, at 32, Harrigan-Scott the 2006 and 2010 champion will line up in Xalapa, Mexico starting on Monday, seeking to join the only three times winner, Cuba’s Miguelina Colon, who pulled off the feat with 100m victories in 1962, ’66 and ’70.
“That’s the goal, to win it three times,” Harrigan-Scott said from her Miami base. “I’m going in with a chance to win. No matter what time I run, it’s just to go out there and win.”
She said since she didn’t go to the Commonwealth Games, she started her training a little earlier than usual and will be heading to Xalapa off base training.
“I’m feeling good, strength is good,” she said. “It’s a little bit different because when you compete you have a little bit more speed training under your belt, so with this meet it’s more off base training, getting the body strong and speeding up a little bit. So, it’s just to go out there and execute the race that you’re suppose to execute and have fun with it,” she explained. “In terms of feeling 100% and feeling completely race sharp, being this time of the year it’s not there. But, I do think I’m strong enough and have the experience to go out there and put in a good race.”
Chantel Malone, who was fourth in the Commonwealth Games Long Jump this summer, will join Harrigan-Scott at the CAC Games.
“Everything has been going smoothly and I’m injury free which is a blessing,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to going out there and having some fun while competing with the hopes of doing a great job. It’s strange for me to be competing this time of the year. But, I know once I get out there I will put my best foot forward.”