SVG Athletes Shine at NACAC Championships with Gold and Silver

Freeport, Bahamas – August 17, 2025 – St. Vincent and the Grenadines made its mark on the regional stage this weekend, capturing gold and silver medals at the 5th NACAC Open Championships held from August 15–17 in Freeport, Bahamas.

The standout performance came from Handal Roban, who stormed to victory in the men’s 800m final. Roban not only secured the gold medal but also shattered his own national record of 1:44.39 and erased the championship record of 1:45.79 set by USA’s Ryan Martin. Stopping the clock at an astonishing 1:42.87, Roban’s time ranks him number two on the NCAA all-time performance list, underlining his status as one of the region’s brightest track stars.

Meanwhile, Shafiqua Maloney added to SVG’s medal tally with a courageous run in the women’s 800m final. In a thrilling finish, she was edged out on the line but still claimed silver in 1:59.98, a strong showing against some of the hemisphere’s finest athletes.

Other members of Team SVG also delivered commendable efforts:

McKish Compton (men’s 100m) – 5th in his semifinal, 10.72s

Brandon Valentine-Parris (men’s 400m) – 6th in his semifinal, 47.60s

Jeremiah Laduca (men’s 800m) – 6th in his semifinal, 1:52.26s

Jabari Michael-Khensu – 7th in his 100m semifinal (10.92s) and 6th in his 200m semifinal (22.04s)


The performances signal growing strength in Vincentian athletics, with Roban and Maloney continuing to lead the charge on the international stage.