London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Malone mines gold! Ends BVI's 36-year medal drought at Pan Am Games

Malone mines gold! Ends BVI's 36-year medal drought at Pan Am Games

Long Jumper Chantel Malone has earned the British Virgin Islands its first-ever medal at the Pan American Games after nearly four decades. Competing in the 18th edition of the games in Lima, Peru on Tuesday, Malone, in the first round of the Women’s Long Jump final, leapt to a distance of 6.68 metres.

This was the jump that was enough to secure the gold medal for the BVI.

Malone edged out American Keturah Orji who placed second with a leap of 6.66 metres and Jamaica’s Tissanna Hickling who finished third with a best leap of 6.59 metres.

Not an easy road to victory

Following her superior podium-finishing performance, Malone was not shy about admitting the work and struggles that led up to sweet victory.

She lauded her coach Dwight Phillips for his role in helping her make the golden leap.

“It’s truly an honour to represent my country and be a representation of our resilience! None of this would be possible without my support system — you know who you are! Oh, let me tell you about the lows! They held my head above the water! Coach Phillips, thank you for not letting me drown in my self-doubt when everything felt like it was falling apart! You’re the best coach for me hands down!” Malone said in a post on social media.

President of the BVI Olympic Committee Ephraim Penn also commended Malone for her outstanding performance, which resulted in the territory finally achieving its goal of medalling since competing in its first games in 1983.

“I think it is a great achievement for the country and for Chantel in particular because of the struggles she’s had during the year. We always thought we had a good chance of winning a medal at these games. We didn’t know when are where, we just knew the calibre of athletes that came each had the potential to win a medal,” stated Penn who is at the games.

He added: “We still have a long way to go but it shows that with dedication and hard work, a lot can be achieved.”

Other results

Meanwhile, the other BVI athletes who also competed on that day had various results which were not sufficient to earn them a spot on the podium.

In the men’s shot-put final, local strongman Eldred Henry finished sixth by throwing a distance of 19.82 metres. In the Women’s 400-metre semifinal, Ashley Kelly finished eighth with a time of 54.42 seconds, which was not enough to advance to the final.

Thadd Lettsome had three races on the day. He finished 15th, 19th and 18th in the Men’s Dingy Opening Series races.

Lettsome will have a chance to improve his performances as he’s scheduled to compete in two other races of that series on Thursday, August 8, at 12 pm local time.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×