Bermuda's overseas athletes are making the most of the indoor track and field season to qualify for major upcoming international events, writes Stephen Wright.

A number of the Island's most promising athletes delivered impressive performances for their respective universities at the weekend.

Ashley Berry booked her ticket to the CAC Junior Championships, finishing second in the 3,000 metres at the USATF Northeast Youth Indoor Track Meet at the New York Armory with a time of 10 minutes 41.8 seconds.

Her time also met the A standard qualifying mark for the Carifta Games.

University of Georgia athlete Aaron Evans had the fastest time (1:50.36) going into the 800 metres finals at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships. He placed seventh in the final with a finish of 1:52.06.

Evans' team-mate, Latroya Darrell, placed third in the triple jump with a leap of 12.63 metres, and eighth in the high jump (1.70 metres).

Stanford University's Arantxa King placed fourth in the long jump with a leap of 6.26 metres and 12th in the triple jump (11.57 metres) at the MPSF Indoor Championships. She was also part of the 4X400m relay team that finished fourth.

Shahnel Woodley, competing for the University of Nevada Las Vegas, placed seventh in the 60 metres (7.67 seconds) at the Mountain West Conference Junior Championships.

Long jumper Jasmine Brunson of Clemson University qualified for the CAC Games and the IAAF World Junior Championships with a leap of 6.13 metres.

Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) president, Donna Watson, said indoor meets made for good preparation for athletes ahead of the outdoor season.

"The great thing is because you have to run more laps indoors – most indoor tracks are 200 metres – the times of the athletes usually improve when they get outdoors.

"Of course, sometimes outdoors you have to deal with the elements but once we get to the good spring and summer weather there's not too much of a problem.

"Competing on a regular basis is good for an athlete as it gets them race fit.

"At some time you have to give your body a little break but the more they compete the fitter they get. "

She added: "I'm looking forward to a great track year especially when you look at the times our athletes are running and the jumps.

"This is a long season so the athletes will have to take a break for a while when they end their school season and going into the international season."