Bailey, Laville capture Antigua sports awards

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA named top Caribbean junior sprinter Daniel and professional bodybuilder Michelle Laville as Sportsman and Sportswoman-of-the-Year respectively, at the 13th annual Vitamalt Sports Awards at the weekend.

CAC 100m champ

Bailey, who posted the national junior record of 10.19 seconds in the 100 metres at the World Junior championships in Grosseto, Italy last July, was chosen ahead of cricketer Austin Richards Jr., veteran bodybuilder Steve Williams, basketballer Mario Davis and yachtsman Ray Potter for the prestigious accolade.

Meanwhile, Laville topped sprinter Anika Jno-Baptiste, softball cricketer Gaylanell O'Garro, swimmer Christal Clashing and volleyball player Shauna Isaac on her way to the top prize.

Bailey was victorious in the 100 metres and took silver in the 200 metres at the CAC Junior Championships last June and then went on to place fourth in the short sprint at the World Junior Championships.

Sprint double

He won the sprint double at the Hampton Games in Trinidad and is favoured to defend his 100 metres title next month at the 35th edition of the CARIFTA junior track and field championships in Tobago.
At CARIFTA last year in Hamilton Bermuda, Bailey finished as runner up in the 200 metres behind Jamaican Usain Bolt who set a new world junior record of 19.93 seconds in the half lap sprint, while Bailey crossed the line in 21.07 seconds.

In 2004, Laville won the Eastern Caribbean Championships and then the CAC Games, earning her the right to go professional, something that does not happen often in the English speaking Caribbean.
Both athletes walked away with $9000, $8000 of which was donated by the government and $1000 by Antigua Brewery.

They were also given tickets compliments BWIA to any North American destination that BWIA travels.