SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (July 24) — The NACAC U18 and U23 Championships at San Jose Stadium in Costa Rica concluded with American Mia Brahe-Pedersen and Jamaican Theianna-Lee Terrelonge each securing sprint doubles on the final day of the event on Sunday (23). Both young athletes demonstrated their talents in junior sprinting throughout the entire championships, which were held over three days from 21-23 July.
Theianna-Lee Terrelonge continues to shine
Promising 15-year-old Terrelonge, who had previously reigned supreme in the U18 category’s 100m on Friday, returned to the track two days later to seize the 200m title, setting a new championship record time of 23.53 seconds (-0.9 m/s).
This year’s winning time eclipsed the previous NACAC U18 Championship record of 23.78, established by her fellow Jamaican, Alana Reid, in 2021.
- Read more: Gold and silver for Sophia Beckmon and Claire Bryant in NACAC U23 long jump
- Read more: Mia Brahe-Pedersen wins NACAC U23 100m title with championships record
La’Nica Locker from Antigua & Barbuda, who had previously secured third place in the 100m, this time clinched the silver medal behind Terrelonge, clocking in at 23.64 seconds, also breaking the previous championship record. Meanwhile, Frances Colon of Puerto Rico, the 100m silver medalist, had to content herself with the bronze medal in this event, finishing in 24.08 seconds.
Mia Brahe-Pedersen wins three gold medals at NACAC U23
In the meantime, American sprinter Mia Brahe-Pedersen maintained her stellar form this season, securing another sprint double after she clocked 23.05 seconds (+0.1 m/s) to comfortably win the U23 women’s 200m gold medal.
The 17-year-old American sprinter was celebrating her third gold medal in the NACAC U23 Championships division, following her title-winning performances in the 100m and the 4x100m relay events.
On Sunday, Brahe-Pedersen dominated the field to outpace USF’s Beyonce Defreitas of the British Virgin Islands, who ran 23.59 seconds for the silver, adding to the bronze she won in the 100m. Canada’s Ashantai Bollers finished third in 23.84 seconds.
After her 100m victory on Friday night, Brahe-Pedersen joined forces with Kaila Jackson, Rayniah Jones, and long jump champion Sophia Beckmon to clock 42.74 seconds, setting a new championship record in the U23 women’s 4x100m relay.
Full Results from all three days at the NACAC U18 and U23 Championships
