Highlighted by meet records from Cunningham, Jennings, McGorty, Rogers and Tausaga-Collins, plus victories from Benard, Kassanavoid and Steen along with a pair of podium sweeps in women’s 3,000 steeplechase and 5,000, Americans win every final and accumulate 17 medals in Bahamas

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The opening day of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Open Championships showcased the depth and dominance of the United States roster Friday at the Grand Bahama Stadium in Freeport.

The U.S. won all eight championship events, swept a pair of podiums and produced five meet records, accounting for a total of 17 medals to begin the three-day NACAC senior-level competition in the Bahamas.

Gabrielle Jennings, Katie Rainberger and Carmen Graves produced a sweep of the medals in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase even before the opening ceremonies commenced, with Natosha Rogers, Fiona O’Keeffe and Eleanor Fulton also sweeping the women’s 5,000 under the lights.

“Overall, it was very neat experience to bring home the first set of medals on the track (Friday) night,” Jenning said. “Everyone on the team was pretty pumped and we could feel the energy from everyone in the stands. The culture here is so fun and lively, everyone is so kind. This trip has been amazing so far and I can’t wait to continue cheering on my USA teammates the next couple days, while also enjoying a little celebratory beach time.”

Sean McGorty produced the final championship record of the evening for the U.S. in the men’s 10,000, joining Vashti Cunningham in the women’s high jump, Laulauga Tausaga-Collins in the women’s discus throw, along with Jennings and Rogers.

Janee’ Kassanavoid prevailed in the women’s hammer throw, Roger Steen won the men’s shot put and Chris Benard also triumphed in the men’s triple jump for the Americans to contribute to the sweep of all the gold medals.

All eight U.S. winners earned the World Athletics Championships qualification standard for next year’s global event in Budapest, Hungary.

Kassanavoid prevailed against fellow American Brooke Andersen in a rematch of their July 17 showdown at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field.

Kassanavoid, the bronze medalist in Oregon, took the lead in the second round Friday and improved her mark to 234 feet, 7 inches (71.51m) on her sixth attempt to hold off Andersen – the reigning World champion – and her fifth-round effort of 225-3 (68.66m).

Jillian Weir of Canada grabbed the bronze medal by throwing 217-2 (66.20m) in the fifth round.

Jennings, who earned the silver medal in the steeplechase at the NACAC Under-23 Championships in 2019 in Queretaro, Mexico, captured gold in her debut on a U.S. senior roster by running 9:34.36 to lead all three American medalists under the previous meet record.

“My goal going into the race was to just finish feeling strong and make every lap a little faster than the previous,” Jennings said. “The conditions were definitely tough, but I’m lucky to be somewhat familiar with this weather being a Louisiana native. I didn’t plan on leading the whole way, but I felt good on the warmup and after the gun went off, something about taking it out felt right.”

Jennings took control midway through the race and pulled away over the final kilometer from Team Boss training partner Rainsberger, who took silver in 9:40.74. Rainsberger also captured silver in the 1,500 in 2019 in Mexico.

“I just wanted to make it an honest effort and finish strong. I felt like my hurdles and waterjumps were some of the best I’ve had the entire season, which was nice to finish the year on a high note,” Jennings said. “Winning gold at this meet, similar to my USAs result, will grant me huge opportunities down the road. It’s much more than a medal… although the medals are pretty sweet.”  

Graves, representing Garden State Track Club, clocked 9:44.68 to earn bronze, also dipping under the 2018 meet record of 9:45.36 achieved by Mel Lawrence, who also led a U.S. podium sweep in Canada.

“Very glad to also have had Katie and Carmen there in the race,” Jennings said. “We all pushed each other and it was super awesome to have USA sweep 1-3. So proud of the way we showed up as a team (Friday) night.” 

Regan Yee of Canada finished fourth in 9:54.92, Oregon State’s Grace Fetherstonhaugh also represented Canada by placing fifth in 9:59.65 and fellow Canadian Jessica Furlan, a Nebraska graduate, was sixth in 10:13.32. Former New Mexico athlete Alondra Negron took seventh for Puerto Rico in 10:35.96.

Rogers covered the final lap in 65.6 seconds to pull away from O’Keeffe, prevailing in 15:11.68 after placing 15th in the 10,000 final July 16 at the World Championships in a personal-best 31:10.57.

Rogers, representing Hansons-Brooks ODP, and PUMA athlete O’Keeffe (15:15.13) both ran faster than the 2018 meet record achieved by fellow American Rachel Schneider, who clocked 15:26.19 in Canada.

Fulton completed the first U.S. sweep in the women’s 5,000 in meet history by running 15:50.31.

Canada had Rebecca Bassett place fourth in 16:15.95 and Gracelyn Larkin, representing New Mexico, finish fifth in 16:32.07.

After fellow American Dillon Maggard led for the majority of the race, McGorty took control with a mile remaining in the 10,000 and closed in 59.06 to secure the victory in 29:23.77, taking down the 2018 meet record 29:49.03 by Nike Bowerman Track Club teammate Lopez Lomong.

McGorty placed 12th overall July 17 in the 10,000 in his World Championships debut.

Maggard, a former Utah State standout, held off Canada’s Andrew Alexander, representing Notre Dame, by a 29:33.57 to 29:33.73 margin to secure silver.

Tausaga-Collins produced a second-round performance of 207-3 (63.18m) in the discus to surpass the 2018 championship record of 203-3 (61.97m) achieved by Cuba’s Yaime Perez.

Denia Caballero of Cuba achieved a sixth-round mark of 202-11 (61.86m) to capture silver, holding off American Rachel Dincoff and her final throw of 201-11 (61.56m).

Cunningham cleared 6-3.50 (1.92m) on her first attempt to eclipse the meet record of 6-3 (1.91m) set by three-time NACAC gold medalist Levern Spencer of Saint Lucia, who did not attend this year’s meet.

Cunningham’s victory also marked the first for the U.S. in the women’s high jump in meet history, with South Carolina standout and last year’s Division 1 outdoor champion Rachel Glenn securing silver by clearing 6-0.50 (1.84m) and Mexico’s Ximena Lizbeth Esquivel Guzman taking bronze at 5-11.25 (1.81m).

Sakari Famous of McNeese State, representing Bermuda, and Missouri’s Claudina Diaz Castro – competing for Mexico – both cleared 5-10 (1.78m).

The most dramatic outcome for the U.S. came in the men’s shot put, with Steen – a former NCAA Division 3 champion at Wisconsin Eau-Claire representing Velaasa – coming through with a clutch sixth-round mark of 68-2 (20.78m) to edge fellow American and reigning Division 1 outdoor winner Adrian Piperi of Texas and his second-round performance of 68-1 (20.76m).

O’Dayne Richards of Jamaica earned bronze with his opening-round effort of 65-9 (20.05m).

Benard captured the first men’s triple jump crown for the U.S. since Marc Kellman in 2007 with a third-round effort of 53-9.75 (16.40m).

Jah Nhai Perinchief of Bermuda, representing Arkansas, grabbed silver with his sixth-round mark of 52-1.75 (15.89m) and Taeco O’Garro of Antigua and Barbuda earned bronze with his final jump of 51-6.25 (15.70m).

Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the reigning World champion in the women’s 400, led all qualifiers into the final by running 50.84.

Jamaicans Christopher Taylor (45.50) and Nathon Allen (45.85) posted the top two marks in the men’s 400 prelims.

Americans CJ Allen (48.76) and Khallifah Rosser (49.18) secured the top two spots for the men’s 400 hurdles final.

Jamaica’s Megan Tapper ran the fastest time in the opening round of the women’s 100 hurdles by clocking 12.62.

Brittany Brown, the 2019 World silver medalist for the U.S. in the 200, ran 22.59 to lead all qualifiers into the final.

Andrew Hudson, representing Jamaica and Texas Tech, clocked the best mark of 20.25 to advance to the men’s 200 championship race.

Tajay Gayle, the NACAC silver medalist in 2018 in the men’s long jump for Jamaica, produced the best qualifying mark of 25-8.25 (7.83m).