Spencer leads memorable day for 30-something standouts along with Lomong and Michta-Coffey, with the U.S. producing the first two podium sweeps in any event in meet history; Dunfee captures Canada’s first gold medal

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It was a day of historic sweeps and some of the most decorated veterans in the sport adding more impressive chapters to their respective careers Friday at the third edition of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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Levern Spencer of Saint Lucia, 34, became the first athlete in NACAC history with three individual gold medals, defending her high jump title with a 6-3.25 (1.91m) clearance at University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium.

Spencer cleared 6-2.25 (1.89m) at the inaugural event in El Salvador in 2007, then produced a 6-3.25 clearance in 2015 to repeat as champion in Costa Rica.

Maria Michta-Coffey, 32, who boasts 42 national race walk titles on her resume, captured the first senior international gold medal of her career, by prevailing in the 20-kilometer event at Hanlan’s Point on Toronto Island in 1:36:33.19. Katie Burnett grabbed bronze for the Americans in 1:39:31.

Lopez Lomong, 33, became the first American male athlete with NACAC gold medals in two individual events, following his victory in 2015 in the 5,000 by winning the 10,000 title Friday in 29:49.03.

Lomong was also part of two memorable sweeps for the U.S., the first in any male or female event in meet history.
Elkanah Kibet (29:51.37) and Reed Fischer (29:53.63) completed the podium for the Americans, who also swept the women’s 3,000 steeplechase.

Mel Lawrence (9:45.36), Emily Oren (9:56.66) and Megan Rolland (9:59.85) helped the U.S. become the first country to sweep the medals in any NACAC event.

Evan Dunfee captured Canada’s first gold medal in meet history, winning the men’s 20-kilometer race walk in 1:25:38.44. Dunfee also won Pan American gold in 2015 in Toronto. Nick Christie earned silver in 1:30:10.67 and John Cody Risch secured bronze in 1:36:05 for the Americans.

Darrell Hill secured a second career NACAC medal in the shot put for the Americans, improving from his silver in 2015 to capture gold with a third-round effort of 71-1.50 (21.68m).

DeAnna Price also elevated from silver three years ago to gold Friday for the U.S. in the women’s hammer throw with a second-round performance of 244-9 (74.60m). Former Northern Arizona standout Brooke Andersen earned bronze for the Americans with a first-round throw of 229-10 (70.05m).

Rachel Schneider (15:26.19) and Lauren Paquette (15:39.40) took the top two spots in the women’s 5,000, helping the U.S. sweep gold and silver in the event for the first time in meet history.

The Americans also secured silver and bronze medals in the men’s triple jump, women’s discus and women’s high jump.

Chris Benard and KeAndre Bates took second and third in the triple jump, giving the Americans two medals in the event for the first time. Cuba’s Jordan Alejandro Diaz earned gold with a third-round leap of 55-2.75 (16.83m), with Benard producing a third-round effort of 54-10.75 (16.73m) and Bates achieving a second-round mark of 54-4.75 (16.58m).

Cuba also won the women’s discus gold, with Yaime Perez Tellez prevailing with a fifth-round throw of 203-3 (61.97m). Valarie Allman captured silver with a second-round effort of 195-9 (59.67m) and Maggie Ewen earned bronze with a fourth-round mark of 193-7 (59.00m), giving the Americans two medals in the event for the first time in meet history.

Liz Patterson cleared 6-2 (1.88m) and Loretta Blaut had a 5-11.50 (1.82m) clearance to capture silver and bronze for the U.S. in the women’s high jump, the first NACAC medals for the American women in the event.