San Pedro High School (SPHS) students Jaylen Jex and Jazmine Cocom returned to Ambergris Caye with medals following outstanding performances at the National Track and Field Championships held at Georgetown Technical High School in Stann Creek District. Jex’s impressive showing also earned her the opportunity to represent Belize at the upcoming Council for Sports and Recreation of Central America (CODICADER) Games 2026, scheduled for September 4-13 in Honduras.
The competition, held from May 8-9, brought together high school athletes from across Belize. SPHS was represented by a delegation of eight athletes led by coach Francisco Castellanos. Among the SPHS competitors, Jex and Cocom stood out in their respective events.
Jex competed in both the Discus and Shot Put events. In discus, where athletes throw a heavy circular disc for distance from a 2.5-meter circle, she secured first place in both the junior and senior categories. She also excelled in the shot-put competition, an event where athletes propel a heavy metal ball as far as possible from a designated throwing circle. Jex earned second place in the junior division and third place in the senior division.
Meanwhile, Cocom captured third place in the senior 800-meter race, adding another medal to SPHS’s achievements at the national event.
SPHS has a history of students representing both San Pedro and Belize at the CODICADER Games. Most recently, four island athletes participated in the October 2024 games held in El Salvador. Brandon Quijano and Izabel Usher competed in track and field events, while Aysha Acosta and Tamilli McCauley represented Belize in basketball with the King’s College team.
Belize’s CODICADER delegation traditionally includes champions from the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) in disciplines such as football, volleyball, basketball, and softball, as well as individual champions in track and field, chess, and karate.
Jex’s qualification for the 2026 CODICADER Games continues San Pedro’s representation at the regional level and highlights the growing athletic talent emerging from the island’s schools.