Maloney claims first CAC Games 800m medal for St. Vincent

SAN SALVADOR – Producing a time of 2 minutes, 4.98 seconds in the 800m final at the Central American and Caribbean Games, Arkansas alum Shafiqua Maloney earned the first medal in the event for St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday.

Cuba finished 1-2 in the 800m with the combination of Rose Almanza (2:01.75) and Sahily Diago (2:02.81). Maloney, who split 1:00.01 in second place at 400m, moved from fifth to third over the final 100m of the race to collect the bronze medal.

Maloney is the first medalist in the 800m and second overall for St. Vincent. Kineke Alexander, who competed at Iowa, placed third in the 400m in 2006.

Defending champion Almanza led at 400m with a split of 59.93 with Diago third at 1:00.08. Dating back to 1970, this marked the ninth victory for Cuba in the 800m at the CAC Games, which are held every four years. Diago earned just the third silver medal performance for Cuba.