Djimon heaved the Shot 15.24m (50’0’) to book his ticket while Diamante had a throw of 14.53m (47’8”) before uncorking a 16.20m (53’1¾”) personal best in the Weight Throw, to make his first nationals trek.

“I’m satisfied with it because this is our first time competing in 10 months,” Djimon told Island Sun Sports. “I know I could have gone further because this is my first meet, the thoughts and everything starts to kick in but eventually I pulled myself together and not worried about it because I know I’m in good shape and I’ll be ready to go for nationals.”

Djimon wasn’t a finalist last year and is eyeing a better performance. He said the field isn’t strong which improves his changes for a podium finish. “With the vigorous training I’m doing, hopefully, if all goes well, I should be a finalist and top three. Last year really taught me the sky’s the limit and it’s all in your head if you want to go and get it. Nationals showed me that hard work beats talent. So my mindset from nationals last year has changed a lot. I’m going in there determined to finish my business.”

Diamante told Island Sun Sports qualifying for Nationals in the ‘Weight Throw means a lot to him. “I didn’t get to qualify last year so the fact that I got to qualify, says a lot about the work I’ve put in, in the gym, on the track and everything, so I’m really proud of myself,” he said., nothing that he only manages 14.53m in the Shot Put. “I got my technique right but it was a little too late to fix it. My throws were feeling good, I just didn’t have it in me today, but that’s okay. I had a season’s best so I wasn’t really down on myself.”

He said he feels that he can get another personal best at Nationals, once he continues to work hard, but its’ just for him to be consistent and when he gets to Nationals, leave it all out there..

The Gumbs will join Cloud County Community College’s Tashira Edwards who has qualified in the 600m, 4×4 Relay and Distance Medley Relay and South West Baptist’s Zara Brown, who will contribute a leg to her team’s Distance Medley Relay.

Locally, Khybah Dawson climbed to No. 7 on the BVI’s All Time Long Jump list, when he cut the sand at 7.36m (24’1¾”) into a -2.6 meters per seconds wind on Saturday, during the fifth Dag Samuels Development Series competition. Dawson who also was third in the 100m in a personal best 10.92 seconds and stopped after clearing 1.80m(5’10¾”) in the High Jump to run the 4x100m Relay, upped his best from 7.15m (23’5½”).

Jaleel Croal won the 100m in 10.62 seconds into a -0.7 mps wind and was followed by Talent Ex teammate, Mikkel Bassue in 10.82 and Dawson’s 10.92, as three athletes dipped under 11.00 seconds. Croal held off charging teammate Wanye Bell to win the 400m in 49.20 to Bell’s, 49.32.

Palesa Caesar of Ambassadors Track Club, launched a 13.40m (43’11½”) Shot Put personal best. In the process, she pulled Sprint Tech Track Club’s Savianna Joseph to a career best of 12.55m (41’2”).

Elsewhere, soon to be 15 year old Adaejah Hodge, won a Long Jump/200m season opening double, leaping 5.46m (17’11”) and recording 24.28 seconds over the half lap.