Belizean Athletes Jaaden Williams and Melody Gabourel set personal bests at Youth Olympics

Belize: Athletes Jaaden Williams and Melody Gabourel took part in the Youth Olympic Games 2026 held in Dakar, Senegal on November 10, 2026, achieving great results in the triple jump and throwing events on November 10, 2026.

Williams took part in the men’s triple jump, where he recorded a best distance of 13.25 metres. Although the result was below his expectations, the competition gave the young athlete an opportunity to showcase his talent against competitors from different countries on an international stage.

His participation also adds more experience for him to learn as he continues to develop his athletics career. It will give the young players an opportunity to understand the level of performance needed and identify areas where they can improve.

Gabourel ended her performance by achieving a new personal record of 9.84 meters in her throwing event. The achievement marked a positive milestone for the Belizean athlete as she was able to improve her previous best while competing at the Youth Olympic Games.

While neither outcome might reflect their initial goals, Gabourel achieved an improvement with her personal best performance, while Williams acquired more experience by participating in the international competition.

Their performances form part of Belize’s participation in the Dakar Youth Olympic Games 2026, which brought together young athletes from around the world to compete across several sporting events.

For Williams and Gabourel, the opportunity to compete in Senegal was yet another step in their athletic development. Both athletes will have opportunities to apply what they learned in Dakar as they continue to train for upcoming competitions.