Friday 5 September 2014

This is the first ever worlds championship gold medal Belize has ever won in any discipline or sporting event

Veteran footballer, track & field, and body building athlete, Daland Jones won the Gold medal in Shot Put, beating the American Jerry Ropelato at the North, Central American and Caribbean World Masters Athletics (NCCWMA) Championship, held in San Jose, Costa Rica that was held from August 21-24.


Three most experienced veterans athletes from Belize travelled to Costa Rica for the event. Philip Andrewin, in the Masters on the 65th category (65 – 69 yrs), took went up to participate on the 100m, 200m, High Jump, Long Jump and Shot Put. Lawrence Craig, in the Masters 55 category (55 – 59 yrs), represented in Shot Put, High Jump, and for the first time won the Silver medal in the Triple Jump. (Lawrence was on 4th place in the Shot Put in his category.) In the Masters 55 category (55-59yrs) Daland Jones took part on the Discus, Javelin, and won the Gold medal in the Shot Put. On the top 4 Masters 5 finishers played in the Shot Put were Daland Jones (Belize, 10.44m), Jerry Ropelato (USA, 10.36m), James Bristol (Trinidad & Tobago, 10.34m), and Lawrence Craig (Belize, 9.05m).

“When a group of mostly Costa Rican fans saw the chart with Belize leading in the Shot Put, they began cheering for Belize. They were chanting ‘Be-lice! Be-lice!’; and when the second place American made his final throw, and they saw I had won, they erupted in an even louder chant and celebration for Belize. It was an awesome feeling, seeing the Belize flag above all others, and I was emotional and humbled to be able to win the Gold for my country.” In winning the Gold for Belize, Daland said he had entered to participate in the World Championships in Leon, France, in August, 2015.


"The NCCWMA had competitors from all over," said Daland, as it was the first hemispheric masters championship. One of the largest groups in the competition was from Costa Rica, followed by the USA, and then Canada. Some Athletes where invited for next year's outside region for this event in the World Championship in France, which will actually have representation from all nations.