Bermudian athletes Arima Turner and Amaris Munya secured medals at the Legends of Alachua County Invitational, in Gainesville, Florida last weekend.

Turner was part of the Montverde Academy 4x200 metres relay team that won gold in 1min 36.30sec, the fastest time recorded at Alachua County Sports & Event Centre. Munya clocked 1:38.94 to finish third in the 600 metres.

Turner, who also ran the 200-metre dash in 24.83, is pleased with her progress as she eyes Carifta Games qualification in the 200 metres.

“I’ve been steadily dropping time in the 200 and it’s very encouraging to see the work paying off,” Turner told The Royal Gazette.

“Running the 4x200m relay this weekend was an added bonus as we broke the facility record and are currently ranked No 2 in the United States.

“Running with my team-mates is always great and we’re excited to see how the rest of the season unfolds. We’re focused on dropping our time even further to claim the No 1 spot.”

While she also ran the 400 in 59.23 to finish twelfth of 58 competitors, Munya is also edging closer to qualifying for the Carifta Games in the 800 metres but the 16-year-old’s biggest takeaway from the meet was off the track.

“I am extremely proud of my performance and the outcome, but my favourite moment of the meet wasn’t the race or the time,” Munya said.

“My favourite moment of the meet was right before my 600 run. All the high-school girls and I stood in a circle and prayed over our race.

“It was moving for me to hold hands with my competitors, pray over them and in that moment we were one, we were united and had one goal, to give glory to God.

“As a Christian athlete who puts Jesus at the forefront of all I do, that moment meant more to me than any time, medal or placing.

“Mentally, I was prepared to be aggressive and tough in my two races. I wanted to lead the race and just see what I could do.

“My mindset allowed me to run 1:38 in the 600 and place third. The time I ran is what my coach wanted me to run and I feel I executed the race extremely well.

“I am in a great position to build towards my Carifta qualifying time in the 800, my speciality. Later that day I ran 400m and the goal was sub one-minute and I ran 59.2.

“I wouldn’t say it was my best performance, but once again I got out hard and gave all that I had in the moment. I am not upset or mad about it but the next time I run a 400 it will be much better. Overall, I’m satisfied with my performance at the meet and I’m ready for more.”

Two weeks after running a blazing 21.34 in the 200 at the VA Showcase, Miles Outerbridge marked his return to action by stopping the clock in 21.36. It was the second quickest time of the meet.

Both times are within the Bermuda National Athletics Association’s Carifta qualifying standard.

“I ran 21.36, which I wasn’t too upset about after recovering from flu,” Outerbridge said.

“This weekend I’ll be running the 200 metres and 60 metres at the Florida High School Indoor Championships.”

Meanwhile, javelin thrower Tatiana Sousa and sprinter Amara Samuels have joined Outerbridge in qualifying for Carifta.

Sousa, who won a silver medal in Trinidad & Tobago last year, reached the qualifying standard (37m) in the under-20 girls with a throw of 38.86 metres.

In congratulating the 16-year-old, the BNAA described her qualification as amazing, considering that her training regime has been disrupted due to lack of access to the National Sports Centre field. It is also the Warwick Academy student’s first year in the under-20 category.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to compete at such a high level once again,” Sousa said.

“The time and effort I have put into training this season has paid off, allowing me to qualify.

“I have spent a lot of time in the gym getting stronger. With more consistent access to the track moving forward, I feel excited and more confident I will perform well at the Carifta Games in Grenada.”

In her second year in the under-17 division, the 14-year-old Samuels surpassed the 100 metres standard (12.35) with a time of 12.14.

“The experience was amazing,” Samuels said.

“I woke up excited to race and hopeful that I would qualify at my first meet and I am glad that I did.

“I would like to say that I am grateful to my coach DeVon Bean at DASH Track Club for pushing me to work hard and training me to be able to do this.

“I am also grateful to my family for supporting me. Now, I am excited to continue to work hard so that I can improve leading up to Carifta.”