Belizeans take gold in masters track and field

We are led to believe that the highest levels of sporting accomplishment are reserved for the young; that once you’re past twenty-five, it’s pretty much downhill. Well if you watched Hilly Barrow finish this year’s Lion Man competition you know that that belief is false. The conventional wisdom was also defied over the weekend as Belizean athletes successfully competed in a Masters Track and Field Competition in Panama. Arilee Evans, of the University of Belize, was our only female on the team…and also brought home gold.

Arilee Evans, Gold Medallist in Discus

“It’s held annually and it’s basically athletes from all over Central America. This meet is held once a year and each Central American country takes turns in hosting this game.?

?There were six athletes that took part from Belize namely Lionel Hamilton, Lawrence Craig, Darrel Smith, Daniel Flowers better known as ?Thinman?, Fred Evans and myself.”

Jose Sanchez

“How did the athletes do?”

Arilee Evans

“We brought back a total of six gold medals, four silver and two bronze.”

“I feel very good about myself, being a woman, going out there and competing and returning with a gold medal, not only for myself but for all the other women in Belize. To show women once they reach a certain age they’re not suppose to sit back and let things go. I want the women of Belize to go out there and compete.”

This is the second time that Belize has taken part in the competition. Although we find it hard to believe, Evans competed in the forty-five to forty-nine year old division.