Miles Outerbridge has expressed immense joy after setting a national record of 10.21sec on his way to winning gold in the boys under-20 100 metres at the 53rd Carifta Games in Grenada.

Having taken down Kyle Webb’s junior record of 10.64 by clocking 10.29 in the semi-finals at Kirani James Athletics Stadium, in the final Outerbridge toppled DeVon Bean’s senior mark of 10.27, which had stood for 30 years.

The 17-year-old is now the fourth-fastest ever in the men’s 100 at the regional competition. Jamaica’s Yohan Blake (10.11 and 10.18) and Davonte Howell (10.15), from Cayman Islands, are the only sprinters to have run faster.

Outerbridge is also in contention for the sprint double after recording 20.54 to win his heat in the 200 semi-finals and will be back in action in the final on Monday night.

“It felt really good being able to win the gold medal and break the national record,” Outerbridge told The Royal Gazette.

The sprinter has been part of the Bermuda team at the annual competition for five years. On the four occasions he had represented the island, medals had eluded him, with the closest being a year ago in Trinidad & Tobago, when the Montverde Academy student came fourth in the under-20 boys 200.

“It’s been a while and for some of the more recent years I’ve come close, but to secure gold on Saturday was amazing,” he said.

“The biggest difference would just be discipline while also not being too stressed or particular over what I do.”

“The constant support my coaches have given me over the years has really compounded and allowed me to really understand who I can truly be.”

While his time qualified him for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, according to Jarita Vickers, the Bermuda National Athletics Association president, Outerbridge is instead focusing on the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from August 5-9.

“Miles has qualified for the Commonwealth Games, but he won’t go,” Vickers said.

“He is focused on World U20 Championships which is all around the same time.”

Bean, who set the national record in May 1996, two months before the Atlanta Olympics, was on hand to congratulate Outerbridge for surpassing his time. The Bermuda National Athletics Association athletics director believes that the young athlete is reaping reward for his persistence.

“Seeing Miles Outerbridge eclipse the mark I’ve held for so long brings me a level of pride that words can hardly capture,” Bean said.

Last year at the Carifta Games, I watched Miles make a choice that defined his character. He sacrificed his individual glory and a certain medal to run extra legs in the relay for his country and his team-mates.

“He finished fourth in his individual event because he gave his all to the team first. At that moment, I looked him in the eye and told him ‘your reward is coming’.

“On Saturday, that reward came in the most spectacular fashion. Miles is the embodiment of humility and resilience. He is a young man of immense integrity who puts the work in when no one is watching and remains gracious when the world is.

“Seeing him reach this milestone isn't just about the clock or the history books, it’s about a deserving athlete finally getting what his heart and sacrifice earned him.

“To Miles, you didn’t just break a record, you proved character wins in the long run. I’m honoured to hand this torch to you. Bermuda, join me in celebrating a truly deserving champion.”

Juma Mouchette, the Bermuda lead coach at the Carifta Games, praised Outerbridge for maintaining his composure.

“Miles is probably going to be the talk of the games because I promise nobody expected a boy from Bermuda to win the under-20 100 metres,” Mouchette said.

“From his semi-finals, Myles was very focused. He was lane 7, so he kind of caught the field by surprise, because when you are only in that lane you can see everybody, but everybody cannot see you.

“He went out there and he was a controlled athlete. He dominated the semi-finals and put himself in a position to get a medal.

“Not only did he get a medal, he won gold and along with that, breaking DeVon Bean's long-standing 100-metre national record of 10.27, which stood for 30 years.

“For DeVon to be here to witness that get broken in such emphatic effort, it was a bittersweet moment to see those two rejoice after the meet. It was almost like a passing of the torch.”

Mouchette outlined the talk he had with Outerbridge, which helped ther runner stay calm following the disqualification of Sanjay Seymore, from Jamaica, for a false start.

“A false start could throw anybody off, but I had a conversation with Miles in between our dominant warm-up for the 100 and we talked about execution,” the coach said.

“That’s all the game plan was for Miles going into the finals, was just execute his race plan, focus on himself and his lane.

“What a way to shock the Caribbean. Now, it’s not over for Miles, he has to reset and he’s refocused for the 200 metres, because for him, the job is not done.

“We’re going to put this 100 metres behind him and he's fully focused for the 200. We’ll see what happens in the final on Monday.”

Owen Darrell, the sports minister, who was part of the crowd to witness Outerbridge bag the gold and break the national record, was one of the first to congratulate the teenager on his achievement.

“I am in Grenada supporting Team Bermuda and after the bar was set by Miles in the semi-final earlier in the day, there was huge excitement and anticipation by Team Bermuda in the lead-up to the final,” Darrell said.

“I had been telling all of my regional ministerial colleagues that Bermuda was going to pull off a shock win. Miles didn’t disappoint, it was an electric display and dare I say, the fastest junior in the Caribbean.

“I got a chance to immediately congratulate him. I’ve sent my congratulations to his parents and I get to brag for the rest of the Games, even in front of four-times Grenadian Olympian Kirani James, who was sitting next to me.

“It was two years ago in Paris at the Olympics that I was talking to Minister Kenson Casimir, the sports minister from St Lucia, when Julien Alfred won a gold medal in the 100 metres.

“I told him that we had some young talent that would be bursting onto the world sprinting stage soon from Bermuda. I was so happy to look at my friend and say ‘here Bermuda’, we are back on the sprinting stage.

“It was also a nice moment to see former Bermuda record holder, DeVon Bean, being one of the first to congratulate Miles. This win has sent shock waves throughout the Caribbean region.”

One Bermuda Alliance leader Ben Smith, who is at the Carita Aquatics Championships as the national swimming coach, also conveyed his pride in Outerbridge’s achievement.

“On behalf of my family and the One Bermuda Alliance, I am extending a heartfelt congratulations to Miles Outerbridge for his gold medal performance in the U20 100m at the Carifta Games,” Smith said.

“Along with making his entire country proud, Miles has proven what can happen when you put in the work and most of all, believe in yourself.

“Breaking a 30-year national record is no small feat. Miles has left his mark in Bermuda’s track and field history and the best is yet to come.

“I would also like to congratulate swimmers Rory Shepherd and Teagan Mewett who won a silver medal in the 13-14 boys 50m backstroke and a bronze medal in the 15-17 200m breaststroke respectively. Our youth athletes are making our island proud.”