Virgin Islands’ sprinter Jaleel N. Croal kept the territory’s flag flying proudly at the 2024 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Saturday, February 24, 2024, as he was named Most Valuable Performer (MVP). Photo: Facebook

Croal of South Florida University won the American Conference’s 60m and 200m finals in 6.65 and 20.96 seconds respectively, establishing new indoor personal bests. Photo: Facebook

Croal of South Florida University won the American Conference’s 60m and 200m finals in 6.65 and 20.96 seconds respectively, establishing new indoor personal bests.

South Florida wins men’s team championship

Croal’s exploits also helped the South Florida University men’s team to take home the team championships for a second consecutive year.

South Florida scored 156 points to win the title. Charlotte finished in second place with 105.5 points, followed by UTSA (80), Tulsa (79), Wichita State (70), Rice (68), Memphis (36), North Texas (35.5) and East Carolina (31).

There was actually a three-way tie for the men’s Most Valuable Performer among South Florida’s Croal, UTSA’s Gabriel Binion, and Tulsa’s Malte Propp. Propp won the 3,000m and 5,000m runs, while Binion won the triple jump and long jump.

Carifta Games gold medallist

It was in April 2019 that Croal ran into the history books for the Virgin Islands when he became the first Under 17 Boys 200m gold medallist for the Territory at the Carifta Games, which was held in the Cayman Islands.

Croal’s feat was even acknowledged by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 2-time Olympic Gold Medallist, on her Facebook page on April 22, 2019.

“Any BVI fans on the page???? Let’s show some love for this athlete!!!!!” Fraser-Pryce wrote. She had also posted on her Facebook page a photo of Croal and part of an article published by Virgin Islands News Online on Croal’s gold medal win in the Under 17 Boys 200m.