Aug 12, 2005 – The V.I. Track and Field Federation announced Thursday that Laverne Jones, the top female sprinter in V.I. history, advanced in both the 100 and 200 meters in Helsinki, Finland at the IAAF World Championships in track and field this week. In the 100m Jones had one of her worst starts in rain and cool temperatures but eased into the second round with a 11.63 and fourth place finish in the race. In the next round her start was better and her time of 11.51 improved but for a seventh place finish.
Although the weather got worse for the 200m later in the week, Jones, more confident, performed even better with a first-round third place finish in 24.12, a performance which moved her to the semi-finals where she ran sixth with a time of 23.62.
According to a press release from the Federation, Jones is the first athlete to advance to the semi-finals in the World Championships. She will travel to Turku, Turkey next week to represent the Virgin Islands in the World University Games and expects to be invited to European meets before returning to Oklahoma where she trains.
