Several U.S. Virgin Islands track and field athletes recently participated in races on the U.S. mainland where they took home gold, with one of the athletes setting a new national high school record, according to the V.I. Track and Field Federation.

St. Croix Track Club athlete Michelle Smith, a high school sophomore at Montverde Academy, became a Florida State champion after competing in and winning the 300m Hurdles during the Florida 2A State Championships on May 12.

Smith ran a new USVI record of 41.56, a time that also made her the fastest high school sophomore in the 300m Hurdles in the United States, the federation said.

Smith also won a bronze medal in the 100m Hurdles with a time of 14.23 — just off her V.I. National Junior record of 14.19.

Elsewhere, Mikaela Smith, a recent graduate of Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, competed in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship from May 11-13, and won her heat of the 800m in 2:12.66 to advance to the final. Smith also won a silver medal in the final of the 800m in a time of 2:11.49.

Additionally, Sofia Swindell, a freshman at the Lawrenceville School who competed in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) Outdoor Championships on May 14, won her prelim in the 100m Hurdles in a time of 15.67 seconds to advance to the final. In the final of the 100mH, Swindell finished 1st in a time of 15.75. Swindell also finished 1st in the Triple Jump with a personal record of 36 feet and 9 inches.

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