King, Gumbs Notch BVI Sr., Jr. AOY Awards Presented by Sol

Trevia Gumbs, left, Sol Jr. Female AOY; Karene King, Sol Sr. Female AOY; Khandle Herbert, subbing for her cousin Khari Herbert Jr. Sol Jr. Male AOY; Deborah Benjamin, Sol Country Manager; Kala Penn, Sol Youth Female AOY and Koen Penn, Sol Youth Male AOY. PHOTO: Todd VanSickle

DECEMBR 30—Sprinter Karene King—who led the 100 and 200m rankings for the first time and had a consistent season despite narrowly missing the Olympic Games qualifying standard—was the BVI Athletics Association Sr. Female Athlete of the Year presented by Sol.

The association’s 4th Awards Gala was held on December 28 at the Moorings Mariner Inn, at with a variety of awards were doled out including Lifetime Achievement Awards to the track and field Olympians presented by Gatorade.

In the most competitive division which saw four in the running for the first time, Shot Putter Trevia Gumbs, walked away with the Sol Jr. Female Athlete of The Year award at the event that also recognized youth athletes.

Competing with her twin sister and Javelin Thrower Tynelle, as well as sprinter Nelda Huggins and half miler Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner for the award that wasn’t as clear cut as in the previous three years, Trevia’s performances during the season saw her winning U17 Carifta Games Silver, Leeward Islands Jr. Championships gold and CAC Jr. Championships silver.

Huggins won 100m silver in all three competitions, while Javelin Thrower Tynelle—who collected the BVI Athletics Foundation’s Most Improved Athlete award and became the territory’s first 30/30m thrower in both the Javelin and Discus Throw—bagged Carifta and Leeward Islands gold, and was fifth in the CAC Jr. Championships.

Warner snatched Carifta 800m bronze and Leeward Islands gold but did not compete in the CAC Championships. All four athletes set personal bests and with the exception of Huggins, established National Jr. records in their respective events.

Koen Penn was the Sol Youth Male Athlete of the Year, with his sister Kala Penn the female recipient. There was no award presented in the male division, which lacked quality performers for the third successive year. 

Eric “Shaq” Matthias—a 2008 Beijing Olympian—who was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award along with his fellow Olympians—won the BVI Athletics Foundation’s 2012 Coach of the Year award for his work with the Gumbs sisters.

Veteran Zebalon McLean won the Blenheim Trust Road Racing Male Athlete of the Year Award with Nimande Oniash the female recipient. For his effort, McLean was also recognized by the BVI Athletics Foundation, as the overall Road Racing Athlete of the Year.

BVI Athletics Association 2012 awards recipients are as follows:

2012 Sol Athletes of The Year

Sol Youth Male Athlete of the Year—Koen Penn

Sol Youth Female Athlete of the Year—Kala Penn

Sol Jr. Male Athlete of the Year –Khari Herbert

Sol Jr. Female Athlete of the Year—Trevia Gumbs

Sol Sr. Female Athlete of the Year—Karene King

Most Outstanding Track & Field Performances

Most Outstanding Combined Events Female Athlete—Kala Penn

Most Outstanding Combined Events Male Athlete—Brandon Andrew

Most Outstanding Women’s Open Track Athlete—Karene King

Most Outstanding Men’s Open Field Athlete—Keron Stout

Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Track Athlete—Khari Herbert

Most Outstanding Boys Under-20 Field Athlete—Eldred Henry

Most Outstanding Boys Under-17 Track Athlete—Kyron McMaster

Most Outstanding Girls Under-17 Track Athlete—Nelda Huggins

Most Outstanding Boys Under-17 Field Athlete—Kyron McMaster

Most Outstanding Girls Under-17 Field Athlete—Trevia Gumbs

Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Track Athlete—Tahj Malone

Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Track Athlete—Kala Penn

Most Outstanding Boys Under-15 Field Athlete—Kadeon Potter

Most Outstanding Girls Under-15 Field Athlete—Kala Penn

Most Outstanding Boys Under 13 Field Athlete— Jelani Norman

Most Outstanding Girls Under 13 Field Athlete—Arianna Hayde

Most Outstanding Boys Under-13 Track Athlete—Rakeel Jack

Most Outstanding Girls Under-13 Track Athlete—Arianna Hayde

Most Outstanding Boys Under-11 Track Athlete—Koen Penn

Most Outstanding Girls Under-11 Track Athlete—Tashara Edwards

Most Outstanding Boys Under 11 Field Athlete—Koen Penn

Most Outstanding Girls Under 11 Field Athlete—Dominique Moses

Most Outstanding Girls Under 9 Field Athlete—Aryia Smith

Most Outstanding Girls Under 9 Track Athlete—Izariah Frett

Most Outstanding Boys Under 9 Field Athlete—Sha’el Lavacia

Most Outstanding Boys Under 9 Track Athlete—Sha’el Lavacia

Sol National Record Breakers

Karene King, 200 Meters 23.77 seconds, National Indoor Record, February 25, 2012, Flagstaff

Trevia Gumbs, Shot Put (3K) 14.75m, Youth National Record, July 1, 2012, San Salvador

 Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, 800 Meters, 2 minutes 10.92 seconds, National Youth Record, June 20, 2012, Road Town

 Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, 1500 Meters, 4 minutes 40.50 seconds National Record, March 20, 2012, Road Town

Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, 3000 Meters 10 Minutes, 53.1 seconds, National Record, March 16, 2012, Road Town

Tynelle Gumbs, Javelin Throw (600g) 36.74m (120’2”) National Record, March 29, 2012, Road Town

J’Maal Alexander, 200 Meters, National Jr. Record, 21.62 seconds, June 2, 2012, Carolina

Khiri Herbert, 400 Meters National Youth Record, 47.98 seconds, May 31, 2012 Albuquerque

J’Maal Alexander, 100 Meters, 10.56 seconds, National Jr. Record, March 28, 2012, Road Town

Brandon Andrew, 110 Meters Hurdles, 14.90 seconds, National Jr. Record, July 1, 2012, San Salvador

Eldred Henry, Shot Put (4kg) 16.32 Meters (53’6¾”), National Jr. Record, June 29, San Salvador 

Tynelle Gumbs, Discus Throw, 30.66m (100’6”) National Jr. Record, April 8, 2012, Devonshire

Brandon Andrew, Heptathlon: 3782 points, National Jr. Record, April 9, 2012 Devonshire,

4 x 100 Meters Relay 42.92 Seconds National Jr. Record:  (Shaquoy Stephens, Khari Herbert, Brandon Andrew, Royce David), June 10, 2012, Road Town

4 x 400 Meters Relay 3 minutes 49.19 seconds, National Jr. Record: (Tarika Moses, Lakeisha Warner, Jonel Lacey, Taylor Hill), June 10, 2012, Road Town

4 x 400 Meters Relay 3 minutes 17.00 seconds, National Jr. Record:  (Tarique Moses, Shaquoy Stephens, Kyron McMaster, Khari Herbert), June 10, 2012, Road Town  

Lifetime Achievement Awards—Olympians 

1984 Los Angeles: Lindel “Chef” Hodge, Guy “Toby” Hill, Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway and Jerry Molyneaux;

1988 Seoul: Lindel “Chef” Hodge and Willis “Chucky” Todman

1992 Barcelona: Karl “Dub” Scatliffe.

1996 Atlanta: Keita Cline, Ralston Varlack, Mario Todman, Willis “Chucky” Todman, Greg Rymer, Coralea Cline and Steve Augustine.

2000 Sydney: Keita Cline

2004 Athens: Dion Crabbe

2008 Beijing: Tahesia Harrigan and Eric “Shaq” Matthias

2012 London: Tahesia Harrigan-Scott and J’Maal Alexander

Blenheim Trust Road Racing Awards

Road Race Series:  Men:  1st Zebalon McLean; 2nd Ravindra Sukhu; 3rd Maxford Pipe

Women:  1ST NiMade Oniasih; 2nd Philomena Robertson;  3rd Maria Mays

College Race Series Cross Country Awards

Open Men: Khiry Creque & Open Women— Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner and Tarika Moses

BVI Athletics Foundation Most improved Athlete

Tynelle Gumbs, Javelin Throw

BVI Athletics Foundation Coach of the Year

Eric “Shaq” Matthias