Bowen Places Sixth, Concludes Team Panama Schedule
Event Results
XALAPA, MEXICO - University at Albany senior high jumper Alexander Bowen competed in his sixth and final event for the Panamanian National Team on Thursday, drawing to a close a schedule that began in April. Bowen placed sixth overall in the Central American and Caribbean Games, clearing a height of 7'-0.5”. Bowen will return to competition for Panama in 2015 following UAlbany's indoor season.
Bowen's journey began shortly after the Penn Relays in April, when he finally attained dual-citizenship with Panama. In his first meet as a Panamanian citizen, the America East Outdoor Championships, Bowen became the Panamanian national record holder in the high jump, clearing a height of 7'-1” to win the meet. Bowen then traveled to Panama City to compete in the Panamanian national championships, where he placed second overall clearing a height of 6'-8.75” and earning a spot on the national team.
In his first meet as a member of Team Panama, the Central American Championships in Honduras, Bowen placed first overall matching his national record height of 7'-1”, which also established a new meet record.
Bowen next competed in the Ibero-American Championships in Brazil, where he placed sixth clearing a height of 7'-0.5”. Two weeks later, Bowen competed in the Pan American Festival in Mexico, where he placed seventh clearing a height of 6'-10.75”.
In October, Bowen placed third in the U-23 South American Championships, clearing a height of 7'-0.5”, which was his final competition before Thursday's Central American and Caribbean Games.
With the 2014 Panama season now over, Bowen will shift his attention to UAlbany's indoor season, which preliminarily begins in the first week of December with the annual Alumni and Intrasquad RACC Scrimmage. The indoor season begins in earnest in January with a trip to Penn State. Following the indoor season, Bowen's Team Panama aspirations include berths into the Pan American Games in Toronto in July, and the World Championships in Beijing in August.
Bowen's Team Panama Results
May 3 – America East Championships – 7'-1” (1st, Panama National Record)
May 10 – Panama National Championships – 6'-8.75” (2nd)
June 22 – Central American Championships – 7'-1” (1st)
August 3 – Ibero-American Championships – 7'-0.5” (6th)
August 16 – Pan American Festival – 6'-10.75” (7th)
October 5 – U-23 South American Championships – 7'-0.5” (3rd)
November 27 – Central American and Caribbean Games – 7'-0.5” (6th)
