Laurencin, Joseph and London hit Commonwealth standards

Saint Lucian athletes recently delivered standout performances on the US collegiate track and field circuit, achieving three new Commonwealth Games qualifying marks and setting a national record.

Sprint hurdler Aasia Laurencin is now the seventh athlete to meet the Saint Lucia Athletics Association’s standards for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which will take place from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. Athletes must meet these standards three times to qualify, however.

Laurencin took part in the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, on Saturday, April 18. She finished second in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.81 seconds, after running 12.76 seconds in the preliminaries.

With a wind speed of 1.5 metres per second, that race was the fastest season opener ever for the University of Michigan graduate. Laurencin currently holds the fifth-fastest time in her event this season.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Michael Joseph met the Commonwealth standards for the second time in the men’s 400m. The Kansas University senior ran 46.45 seconds to finish second at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California, on Sunday.

Naomi London, competing for the University of Texas at the Tom Jones Memorial, also met the standard for the second time. The 19-year-old ran 23.50 seconds to place ninth in the women’s 200m and finished 23rd in the 100m with a time of 11.43 seconds.

Other athletes who have met the Glasgow 2026 standards at least once include Julien Alfred, the 2022 silver medallist in the women’s 100m, as well as Jenneil Jacobie (women’s high jump), Khailan Vitalis (men’s 110m hurdles), and Marvric Pamphile (men’s 400m).

Joy Edward competed at the West Virginia Wesleyan Jasmine Clagett Memorial in Buckhannon, West Virginia. After a coaching change and adjustments to her technique, she has consistently thrown over 15 metres in the women’s shot put.

She won the shot put in West Virginia with a throw of 15.63m, improving on her previous mark of 15.48m set a few weeks earlier. Edward also won the hammer throw with a distance of 54.73m and placed 12th in the discus with a throw of 28.59m.

OTHER RESULTS

Jola Felix 12.57 (3rd, women’s 100m) Pioneer Classic

Narlia Albert 13.63 (44th, women’s 100m) Paul Donahue Invite

Carleen Lionel 25.94 (17th, women’s 200m) Paul Donahue Invite

Jola Felix 26.92 (4th, women’s 200m) Pioneer Classic

Malaika George 27.11 (5th, women’s 200m) Rochester Alumni Invite

Narlia Albert 27.83 (51st, women’s 200m) Paul Donahue Invite

Kereser Augustin 55.39 (4th, women’s 400m) ESU Collegiate Relays

Malaika George 1:01.20 (4th, women’s 400) Rochester Alumni Invite

Julianie Gonzague 1:03.71 (5th, women’s 400m) Mentor Cardinal Relays

Miguel Charlery 10.63 (6th, men’s 100m) Shippensburg PR Bonanza

Cagini Pilgrim 10.72 (33rd, men’s 100m) Cal State LA Twilight