Roban’s 1:42.87 Record Run Headlines Day 2 at NACAC Championships in Freeport
Freeport, Bahamas – August 16, 2025. Day 2 of the NACAC Championships delivered an extraordinary showcase of middle-distance records, sprint brilliance, and field event heroics as athletes from across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean battled for continental supremacy.
Middle-Distance Fireworks
The men’s 800 metres final was the race of the evening. Handal Roban of St. Vincent and the Grenadines stormed to gold in a sensational 1:42.87, smashing both the NACAC Championships record and his own national record. His run not only secured gold but also established him as one of the region’s brightest rising stars.
On August 7, at the West Chester Mile in Pennsylvania, the 22-year-old scorched the track with a personal best of 1:44.39, smashing the longstanding national record in the 800 m and punching his ticket to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Just nine days later at the NACAC Senior Championships in Freeport, Bahamas, Roban delivered another jaw-dropping moment. He surged to victory in the men's 800 m final with an electrifying 1:42.87.
American Brandon Miller kept the pace hot, earning silver in 1:43.15, while Jamaican Tyrice Taylor thrilled fans with a bronze in 1:43.74, a new Jamaican national record that also booked his ticket to the World Championships.
The women’s 800m final went to the United States, with Nia Akins capturing gold in 1:59.75. St. Vincent and the Grenadines celebrated again as Shafiqua Maloney claimed silver in 1:59.98, while Jamaica’s Kelly-Ann Beckford finished strongly for bronze in 2:00.17.
Sprint Highlights
In the men’s 200 metres, Canada’s Aaron Brown showed his experience, clocking 20.27 seconds to secure the title. Jamaica’s Christopher Taylor chased him down for silver in 20.32, while Puerto Rico’s José Figueroa crossed for bronze in 20.53.
Bahamian star Anthonique Strachan stormed to victory in the women's 200m final in front of a jubilant home crowd, clocking 22.77 seconds to claim gold. She was chased to the line by the Mexico's Miriam Sánchez Tapia, who secured silver in 22.87, while Jamaica’s Gabrielle Matthews held off the rest of the field for bronze in 23.02.
FIELD EVENTS
The field events brought their own share of excitement.
In the women’s hammer throw, Nayoka Clunis earned silver with a season’s best throw of 69.30m, giving Jamaica another podium finish.
The men’s long jump was dominated by the Caribbean, as Nikolai Williams of Jamaica soared to 8.16m for gold. Will Williams of the USA secured silver with 7.96m, while Jamaica added another medal through Shawn-D Thompson, who took bronze at 7.87m.
Relays Cap the Evening
The Jamaican mixed 4x400m relay team stormed to a new championship record of 3:11.10, sealing the session with one of the fastest relay runs ever seen at NACAC.
The Takeaway
Day 2 of the NACAC Championships confirmed the region’s depth in talent. From Roban’s record-shattering 800m run to Canada’s sprint gold and Jamaica’s dominance in the field, the competition proved as diverse as it was electrifying. With one more day to go, fans can expect even more fireworks in Freeport.
