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July 6, 2007
deJongh congratulates Laverne
Jones, Virgin Islands Track and Field Champion
Houston-based St. Croix native daughter, and Track and Field champion,
Laverne Jones, just returned from competition in Europe and will be
taking part in “Laverne Jones Appreciation Day” on Saturday, July 7,
2007, a fundraiser to help defray the costs of medical expenses,
housing, food, transportation, and other training costs. The event runs
from 12 noon to 12 midnight at the Agriculture Fairgrounds on St. Croix
and will feature live music, local vendors, and other entertainment.
“We are very proud of Laverne’s accomplishments and appreciate her
commitment to Track and Field. On behalf of the people and government of
the U.S. Virgin Islands, I would like to congratulate Laverne for
excelling in the European competitions this week, specifically in the
Czech Republic, where she recorded another Personal Best time. We are
extremely fortunate to have an individual of such enormous talent and
personal strength representing the territory on a daily basis in
worldwide competitions and international arenas. She is a perfect
ambassador for the Virgin Islands on the global stage and is a certain
role model and inspiration to countless young Virgin Islanders,” deJongh
said.
Laverne is a world-class track and field athlete who captured a silver
medal in last year’s Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena,
Columbia, for her performance in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.50
seconds. She holds a 100 meters personal best time of 11.25 seconds,
which was recorded on June 10, 2004, in Austin, Texas, as well as on May
28, 2004, at College Station, Texas. She just returned from Europe
earlier this week, where she recorded a personal best of 22.52 seconds
in the 200 meters dash in Salamanca, Spain, a Virgin Islands record. She
is also the territory’s record holder in the 100 and 400 meter dashes.
While in Europe, Laverne also competed in the Czech Republic and
Ireland, where she represented the U.S. Virgin Islands among other,
world-class Track and Field athletes. She is now preparing for the Pan
American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the July 23-29 competition
and for the World Championships in Japan in August. In January, Laverne
recorded the fastest 200 meters in the world, qualifying her for the
2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing, China.
“Throughout life, people say strive for excellence…I would say ‘Seek
knowledge for yourself.’ That is something that no one can take away
from you,” Jones said. “As far as progressing, this is the year that I
want to be a world championship year, and I really hope that I am able
to motivate the young people who love track and field. I truly hope to
be a motivation to them. I feel that I am making a difference in this
community and
worldwide. From Russia to Japan to Mexico to Guadeloupe, I am
representing the Virgin Islands,” Jones added.
Born in St. Croix, Laverne Jones was raised in Frederiksted and remained
on-island her entire life, until she left to attend college in 2000 at
Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas. Laverne graduated
with an Associate’s degree and continued on to Oklahoma University where
she received a B.A. in Sociology. |
