Velocity track competes in Ocean Breeze Freedom Games
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 44 JAN. 14-20, 2022 BTR
St. Catharine’s cheerleaders
heading to Florida for Nationals
After a nearly two-year hiatus
from competition due to COVID
19, St. Catharine Academy
Cheerleading teams returned
in great form. Competing at
the Universal Cheerleading
Association (UCA) Empire Regional
Competition on Long
Island, the Varsity placed fi rst
in the Small Varsity Division,
non-tumbling and captured an
automatic bid to Nationals.
The Varsity will be joined
by the JV team who placed second
in the JV non-tumbling division.
The UCA National High
School Cheer Competition will
take place at the Walt Disney
World Resort in Orlando, Florida,
from Feb. 11-13. It is the
policy of St. Catharine Academy
that all athletes are vaccinated.
“We are so proud of the
hard work demonstrated by
both teams,” said coach Nicole
Salustio. “Coming back after
the pandemic was so challenging,
but the girls never gave
up and the parents trusted
us. We are so grateful for the
chance to be back on the competition
fl oor. We can’t wait for
our cheer program to represent
SCA with pride.”
-Bronx Times
BY WINSTON DINKINS
On Saturday, Jan. 8, the
Crusaders competed in the
Ocean Breeze Freedom
Games at the Ocean Breeze
Facility in Staten Island. The
meet was well organized, and
the competition was intense.
Many teams from Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, and New
York were present. There
were no freshman, sophomore
or junior varsity events. Everyone
had to compete in a
varsity event.
The following events were
contested: 55 meters, 300,
600, 1000 and 1600 meters
race; 3200-meter relay; 55-meter
hurdles; 4×200-, 4×400-,
4×800-meter relay; Shot Put;
High Jump; Triple Jump; Pole
Vault; Long Jump and Weight
Throw. Medals were awarded
to the top six athletes in their
event/gender.
Medals were hard to earn,
but the Crusaders were able
to muscle fi ve of them. Dakota
Hickman continues to show
that she is one of the top athletes
in the High Jump, earning
a fourth place medal.
Freshman’s Dakota Hickman,
Kimaris Hickman, Saniah
Caldwell and Candice Palmer
earned fi fth place medals in
the girls 4×200-meter relay.
Taking fi fth out of 33 varsity
teams is an awesome task.
Plus, Rakae Thomas and Dontae
Lindo also broke their personal
records in the 300 meters.
Freshman Tristan Vega
ran a respectful time in his
fi rst ever 600 meters.
Our next meet is on Saturday,
Jan. 15, CHSAA BQNY
Freshman/Sophomore Boys
Championship at the Ocean
Breeze Facility, and on Sunday,
Jan. 16, the Stanner
Games at the Armory in Fort
Washington, NY.
St. Catharine Academy Cheerleading team.
Photo courtesy St. Catharine Academy
Scanlan storms Ocean Breeze
for track and fi eld showcase
Monsignor Scanlan High School’s athletes at the Ocean Breeze Freedom
Games. Photo courtesy Winston Dinkins
BY WINSTON DINKINS
On Sunday, Jan.
9, Velocity Track
Club competed in the
Ocean Breeze Freedom
Games (Youth)
at the Ocean Breeze
Recreational Facility
in Staten Island.
The competition
was good, and
the meet was well
organized. The following
events were
contested: 55-meter
hurdles, 55-meter
dash, 200-meter
dash, 1000-meter
run, 1500-meter race
walk, 3000-meter
run, sprint medley
relay (200-200-400-
800), High Jump,
Long Jump, Shot Put
and Triple Jump.
The top three in
each age group received
medals as well
as the top three girls
and boys eight years
and younger in the 55
meters. The winner
of the 12 years old and
younger 4×200-meter
relay and 12 years old
and younger 1-mile
run will have an opportunity
to compete
at the 2022 New Balance
Indoor Grand
Prix on Feb. 6 at
Ocean Breeze.
Velocity was
blessed with 14 medals
— 7 Gold, 3 Silver
and 4 Bronze. The
following athletes
medaled: Xoan, Silver
and Bronze medals
and qualifi ed to
compete in the New
Balance Grand Prix.
Bryce (3 Gold medals),
Steven (2 Gold
medals), Karly (1
Gold medal), Brianna
(Bronze medal), Shyenne
(Silver medal),
Lyon (1 Gold and 2
Bronze medals) and
Savannah B. (Silver
medal). Congratulations
to all who competed.
Our next meet
will be on Friday,
Jan. 21, the New Balance
Games at the
Armory. And on
Sunday, Jan. 23, at
the Ocean Breeze Invitational
at Ocean
Breeze.
Velocity Track
Club New York is a
501C3 non-for profi t.
100% of your donation
will go towards
helping our children.
Support your
youth, so they can
continue to do wonderful
things! For additional
information,
please go to our web
site Velocitytrack.
org or contact Coach
Winston Dinkins at
914-441-6196 or email
watclt@aol.com.
Velocity Track Club athletes at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games in Staten Island.
Photo courtesy Winston Dinkins
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