SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL, July 28-30 — Finally. After a season of impressive wind-aided times and near-misses with legal wind, Issam Asinga (Academy, Montverde, Florida) finally crushed the High School Record in the 100, blasting a 9.89 at the South American Championships.
Winning the gold for Suriname, the 18-year-old Asinga led two others under the 10-second barrier with his clocking, which broke not only the HSR of 10.00 set by Trentavis Friday (Cherryville, North Carolina) in ’14, but also the World Junior (U20) Record of 9.91 by Letsile Tebogo of Botswana last year.
“I am very pleased with my performance,” said Asinga, whose previous legal best had been 10.02, but he had also produced wind-aided clockings of 9.83, 9.83, 9.86 & 9.89. The wind here was a legal 0.8 (at 755m of altitude). “I knew the result would eventually happen, that it was only a matter of time.” Quite an improvement for someone who began the year with a PR of 10.44(A).
Remarkably, Asinga relaxed as he approached the finish line. Earlier in the day he had qualified with a 10.03, the No. 4 prep performance ever.
In the 200 final two days later, he captured gold at 20.19. “This year I am focusing more in the 100m and next year I want to focus more on the 200m, trying to be more consistent,” he said. “I have time to perfect my 200m and get that race right. He has already demonstrated notable half-lap skills, in late April lowering the HSR to 19.97.
Trivia question: who was the last to set the national record in both the 100 and 200? Marshall Dill (Northern, Detroit) in ’71.
SOUTH AMERICAN CHAMPS WINNERS
100(0.8): 1. Issam Asinga (Sur) 9.89 WJR, HSR) (old WJR 9.91 Letsile Tebogo [Bot] ’22; old HSR 10.00 Trentavis Friday [Cherryville, NC] ’14). Heats: II(-0.6)–1. Asinga 10.03 (x, 4 HS). 200(0.7): 1. Asinga 20.19 (x, 11 HS).
400: 1. Anthony Zambrano (Col) 45.52. 800: 1. Eduardo Moreira (Bra) 1:47.12. 1500: 1. Diego Lacamoire (Arg) 3:47.99. St: 1. Julián Molina (Arg) 8:36.47. 5000: 1. Valentin Soca (Uru) 13:55.42. 10,000: 1. Carlos Díaz (Chl) 28:57.18. 110H(-0.9): 1. Eduardo Rodrigues (Bra) 13.59. 400H: 1. Matheus Lima (Bra) 49.44. 20W: 1. Luis Campos (Per) 1:21:25.6 PR. 4 x 100: 1. Brazil 38.70. 4 x 400: 1. Venezuela 3:04.14. Mixed 4 x 400: 1. Colombia 3:14.79 NR.
HJ: 1. Carlos Layoy (Arg) 7-3¾ (2.23). PV: 1. Germán Chiaraviglio (Arg) 18-2½ (5.55). LJ: 1. Arnovis Dalmero (Col) 27-2½ (8.29) NR. TJ: 1. Almir dos Santos (Bra) 56-6¾ (17.24). SP: 1. Wellington Morais (Bra) 67-6¾ (20.59). DT: 1. Claudio Romero (Chl) 207-6 (63.24). HT: 1. Humberto Mansilla (Chl) 249-1 (75.92). JT: 1. Pedro Henrique Rodrigues (Bra) 263-4 (80.26). Dec: 1. José Fernando Santana (Bra) 8058 PR.
Women’s Events
100(0.7): 1. Vitoria Cristina Rosa (Bra) 11.17. 200(2.0): 1. Nicole Caicedo (Ecu) 22.81 PR. 400: 1. Martina Weil (Chl) 51.11. 800: 1. Flavia de Lima (Bra) 2:01.82. 1500: 1. Fedra Aldana Luna (Arg) 4:14.52. St: 1. Tatiane Raquel da Silva (Bra) 9:55.73. 5000: 1. Luna (Arg) 16:06.00. 10,000: 1. Luz Mery Rojas (Per) 34:25.0. 100H(0.3): 1. Caroline Tomaz (Bra) 13.26. 400H: 1. Chayenne da Silva (Bra) 55.90. 20W: 1. María Luz Andia (Per) 1:29:07.5 NR. 4 x 100: 1. Brazil 43.47. 4 x 400: 1. Colombia 3:31.39.
HJ: 1. Valdiléia Martins (Bra) 6-½ (1.84). PV: 1. Juliana Campos (Bra) 15-1 (4.60) PR. LJ: 1. Eliane Martins (Bra) 21-8¾ (6.62). TJ: 1. Gabriele dos Santos (Bra) 45-8 (13.92). SP: 1. Ivana Gallardo (Chl) 57-¾ (17.39). DT: 1. Izabela da Silva (Bra) 201-0 (61.26). HT: 1. Rosa Rodríguez (Ven) 223-6 (68.12). JT: 1. Flor Dennis Ruiz (Col) 202-10 (61.82). Hept: 1. Martha Valeria (Col) 5785.