Georgia’s Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert and Associate Head Coach James Thomas have been named Team USA head coaches for the coming 2023 North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association Under-23 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, on July 21-23.
Smith Gilbert, who is in her second year leading the Bulldog program, will be the women’s head coach and focus on the sprints and hurdles. Thomas, who Smith Gilbert hired soon after accepting the UGA job, will be the men’s head coach and focus on jumps and multi-events.
Smith Gilbert served as an assistant at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin and has coached athletes at three different Olympics dating back to 2004. Thomas was an assistant coach for jumps/multis at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships as well as an assistant for the same events at the 2019 event called The Match between USA and Europe and has also worked with a series of Olympians.
“Any time I have the opportunity to represent our country, I believe it is an immense honor and this selection is no different,” said Smith Gilbert. “I look forward to the challenge and to broadening my network and knowledge even more at NACACs. I am blessed for the change and appreciate the fact that I’ll have another Bulldog in Coach Thomas there to coach as well.”
“It is an honor to be appointed as the head men’s coach for Team USA in the NACAC U-23 Championships,” said Thomas. “I am privileged to witness firsthand the dedication and effort these exceptional athletes put in to secure a place on these teams. I am excited to support them and the outstanding staff in Costa Rica.”
The Georgia duo finished up the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., over the weekend and will also have student-athletes competing in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Aug. 19-27.
At USAs, a number of current and former Bulldogs put themselves in position to earn a spot on Team USA for Worlds: *Keturah Orji won silver in the women’s triple jump, Marc Minichello earned a bronze medal in the men’s javelin, *Kyle Garland was fourth in the decathlon, *Lynna Irby-Jackson was fourth in the women’s 400-meter dash, *Will Sumner was fifth in the men’s 800m, Matthew Boling was sixth in the men’s 400m and will have a chance at the 4x400m relay pool. In addition, Kaila Jackson won the gold medal in the women’s 100m during the Under-20 portion of the meet in Oregon.
*already have the standard mark/time necessary to qualify for Worlds; deadline is July 31 to hit those standards
There were several other national championships around the world that current or former Bulldogs competed in as well: Brazil Ana da Silva, 1st, shot put Alencar Pereira, 2nd, hammer throw Cyrpus Elena Kulichenko, 1st, high jump Jamaica Chanice Porter, 2nd, long jump
Where To Find Bulldog News: News and updates from Georgia’s track and field and cross country teams are posted on georgiadogs.com and are also always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.
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