A landmark moment in British Virgin Islands (BVI) track and field history unfolded on Friday, May 30, when Jaleel Croal became the territory’s first athlete to dip below 20 seconds in the 200m. Competing at the NCAA East Regionals, Croal clocked 19.95 seconds (19.942) to finish fourth overall and secure a spot at the NCAA Division I National Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The time ranks Croal No. 87 on the World All-Time list and positions the BVI as just the ninth Central American and Caribbean nation to produce a sub-20.00 sprinter. Coupled with his earlier 10.08 100m and a leg on a blazing 38.05 4x100m relay, Croal’s performance represents the most prolific single-day sprint series in BVI history.
Reacting to the achievement, BVIAA President Steve Augustine was full of praise for Croal and emphasized the broader significance for BVI athletics.
“Our youngsters no longer need to look outside the 24 square miles of our islands to find world-class role models,” Augustine said. “They can look to Jaleel, someone they know, someone they grew up with. That’s transformational.”
Augustine said Croal’s historic run couldn’t have come at a better time.
“We’re in discussions to resurface our track, expand stadium seating, and bring more structure to our development programs. A performance like this grabs attention and validates the work being done,” he said. “And it shows that when we invest in our athletes, they respond.”
While Croal’s sub-20 mark stands out, Augustine pointed to the growing list of young BVI athletes making waves on the regional and global stage.
“This is one of the brightest eras we’ve had,” he said. “Adaejah Hodge continues to make her mark as one of the most exciting junior sprinters in the world. Tiondre Frett doubled in the 100 and 200 at CARIFTA, the same way Jaleel did a few years ago. You can only imagine what he’ll become with the right training and support.”
He also highlighted the continued success of Kyron McMaster, Chantel Malone, and others.
“Kyron is a world medalist. Chantel is consistently performing at a high level in the long jump. Now, we’ve got a new generation coming through—sprinters running low 10s, 200m runners breaking 20, and 400m athletes in the 46s and 47s. That’s unprecedented for us.”
Augustine added that the current momentum puts BVI in realistic contention to field competitive relay teams for the first time in its history.
“We’ve never had this level of depth across all sprint events. We can now talk seriously about putting together 4x100 and 4x400 squads that can contend regionally—and even beyond,” he said.
With a full schedule ahead—including the OECS Championships, Pan Am U20 and U23 Championships, NACAC Championships in The Bahamas, and the BVI National Championships—Augustine said the island’s track and field story is still being written.
“We’ve had some incredible moments this year, but the season’s far from over,” he said. “If our athletes stay healthy and focused, we’re going to see more records fall.”
Croal will next compete at the NCAA Division I National Championships in Eugene, where he will test himself against the fastest collegiate sprinters in the world—carrying with him the hopes of a nation rising in global athletics.