TLAXCALA, MEXICO – Coming off a strong freshman season for the Aztecs during both the indoor and outdoor seasons, Kelia Bentham has continued to compete at a high level this summer. The rising sophomore out of Barbados qualified for the NACAC (North American, Central American & Caribbean Athletic Association) under-23 championship meet.
Bentham first competed in the preliminary heats on Saturday against a field of athletes from Jamaica, the Bahamas, Guatemala, Mexico and more. She opened the weekend of competition with a wind legal 23.25 performance that secured her a fifth-place finish and a guaranteed spot in the finals. Her time also propelled her into Aztec’s all-time top 10 for outdoor 200-meter performances, moving her into eighth place. In the final round of competition, Bentham earned a bronze medal behind a final time of 23.00 (+3.0).
During her freshman season, Bentham was one of the Aztec’s most promising young athletes. She was a member of both the fourth and eighth fastest indoor 4x400 relay times, while also qualifying for the Mountain West Conference Championship finals in both the 60m and 200m races. She was also a finals qualifier for the 200m and 400m dashes at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships where she finished among the top 10 fastest athletes in the conference