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Croal & DeFreitas run non-advancing times in Tokyo

Jaleel N. Croal, left, and Beyonce A. DeFreitas, right, have completed the Virgin Islands’ showing at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, running non-advancing times in the 200m today, Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Photo: BVIAA/Facebook
The highlight of the Virgin Islands' participation at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan is Chantel E. Malone reaching the final of the Women's Long Jump. Photo: Facebook
The highlight of the Virgin Islands' participation at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan is Chantel E. Malone reaching the final of the Women's Long Jump. Photo: Facebook
TOKYO, Japan- Jaleel N. Croal and Beyonce A. DeFreitas have completed the Virgin Islands’ showing at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, running non-advancing times in the 200m today, Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

Croal placed fourth in his Heat, clocking 20.46 to narrowly miss out on an automatic qualifying spot by 0.03s.

Letsile Tobogo of Botswana won the Heat in a time of 20.18. Xavi J. Mo-Ajok of Netherlands was second in 20.35 and third was Towa Uzawa of Japan in 20.39.

Croal placed 27th of 51 200m athletes in the preliminary rounds of the World Championships.

DeFreitas 5th

Earlier, Beyonce A. DeFreitas, competing in Heat 3 of the Women’s 200m, clocked 23.30s for 5th place.

The winner of that Heat was McKenzie Long of the USA in a time of 22.52. Second was Ashanit Moore of Jamaica in 22.57 and third was Sophia Junk of Germany in 22.81. Fourth was Julia Hendriksson of Sweden in 22.86.

DeFreitas' time placed her 36th of 47 athletes in the preliminary round.

The two sprinters were the last of the performances for the Virgin Islands, which fielded 6 athletes- the largest contingent ever- at the games.

Long Jumper Chantel E. Malone was the lone finalist for the VI.

Hurdler and 2023 Worlds silver medalist Kyron A. McMaster shockingly bowed out in the preliminary rounds of the Men’s 400m Hurdles.

The other VI athletes were sprinter Rikkoi A.R. Brathwaite and Shot Putter Djimon L. Gumbs, who also did not advance from the preliminary rounds.

13 Responses to “Croal & DeFreitas run non-advancing times in Tokyo”

  • Question. (17/09/2025, 10:19) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    I think someone ask this already, I am going to ask it again and its just not for BVI atheletes in general, when they are training, don't they know or have an idea of the qualufying time or qualifying distance and they have 2 yrs to train, next is the Olympic, if the qualifying or compwtitive time for the 100- M is under 12 seconds and duribg practice your fastest time is ovee 13 seconds, why go? Same for 200 M competitive time ia under 24 seconds and your best time is over 25 seconds, why go? Same for any running event, your best time is far out of competitive or qualifying mark. Why go? Same for long, high nump, if you are best time 1s a metre short of competive or qualifying time why go, or why not work and train harder, ? Me just asking a question,. Hope to get a justifiable answer
    • answer (17/09/2025, 11:33) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      Let us rally around them and make the investments to ensure that they make the qualifying times for the next races.
    • Proud BV Islander (17/09/2025, 14:42) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
      Why you don't go and run give them some kind of credit for trying, can you run? just shut to hell up. sick of all the negativity people like you so
  • PSA (17/09/2025, 10:42) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Keep up the good work. Performing on the biggest stage is no easy feat.

    IN OTHER NEWS
    Read audit report on BVI News re legislator’s pay.
  • family (17/09/2025, 12:58) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congrats to Bee and all the others. Just to make the qualifying mark to get to World's is an achievement in itself. Chantel even reached to Finals. That's not an easy task. How many other Caribbean athletes are there outside of Jamaica. I am a proud adopted bvislander. Kudos to our athletes. Keep striving.
  • STOP WASTING MONEY (17/09/2025, 17:20) Like (1) Dislike (6) Reply
    IF AYO KNOW THESE PEOLE CANT DO A CERTAIN TIME/SPEED, DONT SEND THEM
    • Forbidden Truth (17/09/2025, 21:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @stop wasting money. You are missing the essence of athletics competition.
  • Proud of You (17/09/2025, 18:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I'm proud of these athletes. Chantel Malone is totally amazing as she is not old for sure but might be the oldest in the group.
  • Croal did ok (17/09/2025, 23:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    https://youtu.be/t4ex9bAt-Fo?si=JEP7gmSE1zPdTG2n

    Croal was in the mix man. He didn’t do too bad. He missed advancing by a few hundredths of a second.
  • asura (18/09/2025, 02:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The decline of some athletes have been a long-running concern, which successive governments have failed to address with any meaningful action.
  • Prophet (18/09/2025, 07:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ question, to answer you question.
    Athletes compete because the race is not won on paper. The athlete may just produce his or her best performance of his/her career, at that same event.
  • Ayo (18/09/2025, 07:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The best athletes to represent the VI are still in the VI they never attended the events because most of them have a parent thats not 'from here' furthermore These athletes that represent the VI train mostly in the USA. These people are hating that they want success and will try to have it without the help of another caribbean country. Why not send your best athletes to the sprint capital of the world? The talent is here but the VI will always reap these results because the real talent are not being allowed to shine.
  • Norris Turnbull (18/09/2025, 10:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The best athletes to represent the VI are still in the VI they never attended the events because most of them have a parent thats not 'from here'

    aT ayO. go away with your divisive bull shit talk.


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