FREEPORT, BAHAMAS, August 19-21 — Freddie Crittenden has been knocking on the door of the 110H’s top end ever since his NCAA runner-up finish as a Syracuse junior in ’17. That changed at the NACAC Champs, where the 28-year-old vet smacked his PR silly with a surprising 13.00 performance to capture gold.
“It’s one thing to know it’s there and believe it. It’s another thing to see it manifest,” he after taking 0.14 off the lifetime best he had set in finishing 5th at USATF. “To be able to say that I ran 13.00, it has me shook. Practice and training have indicated it for so long and I finally put it together.”
Competing with a stiff crosswind that measured 0.3 on the gauge, Crittenden caught a snappy start and led the entire way, though teammate Jamal Britt closed well for silver in a PR 13.08. They finished comfortably ahead of Jamaican Orlando Bennett (13.18 PR).
The fourth edition of the North American, Central American & Caribbean Championships attracted its best fields yet, and collectively they shattered 25 meet records. The lion’s share of medals, 63, went to the U.S., with 29 of them golden ahead of Jamaica’s 6.
Team USA swept the men’s distances: Jonah Koech won the 800 in 1:45.87, Eric Holt the 1500 (3:37.62), Evan Jager the steeple (8:22.55) and Bowerman teammates Woody Kincaid (14:48.58) and Sean McGorty (29:23.77) the long runs against thin fields in very hot conditions.
Will Williams, who missed making the long jump final at the WC, came out with the gold ahead of ’19 world champion Tajay Gayle, leaping 25-10¾ (7.89) into a 1.6 wind. Chris Benard took the triple (53-9¾/16.40), Roger Steen the shot (68-2¼/20.78). Rudy Winkler hit 256-10 (78.29) to win the hammer, and Curtis Thompson took the javelin gold at 276-4 (84.23).
The relays also went the U.S.’s way, with the 4×1 squad scoring a 38.29–38.94 win over Trinidad, and the 4×4 topping Jamaica 3:01.79–3:05.47. Add to that a mixed-sex relay win in 3:12.05.
The women saw just as much success. While Brittany Brown capturing the 200 (22.35) and Alaysha Johnson the 100H (12.62) marked the only individual speed wins, the U.S. squad, like the men, swept the distances.
In the 800, Allie Wilson led boldly through a 57.37 first half and wasn’t caught by Ajee’ Wilson until the final straight. The two crossed together, with…
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