Guerrier twins of West Hempstead proud to represent Haiti at international race
Gloria Guerrier of West Hempstead competes in the girls 600 meter run during the Nassau County Class C indoor track and field championships at St. Anthony's High School on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. She won with the event with a time of 1:34.19. Credit: James Escher
The first few weekends of the outdoor track and field season is usually reserved for lighter training. Maybe a pace race at a smaller meet to try and get the legs back after a long indoor season.
Not so much for the Guerrier twins of West Hempstead.
They spent one of their first weekends of the outdoor season immersed in international competition — and they came away with new state bench marks.
Gloria and Victoria Guerrier, who will both run at Yale next season, competed for their parents’ native country of Haiti in the under-20 portion of the CARIFTA Games in the Bahamas last weekend. Victoria finished third in the 800 meters in 2 minutes, 11.99 seconds and eighth in the 400 in 56.47 seconds, after running 55.77 in the trials. Her 800 and 400 trial times were the fastest in the state this spring, as of Thursday, according to milesplit.com.
Gloria ran 1:01.57 in the trials of the 400 hurdles and was seventh in the finals in 1:04.91. Her trials time was the fastest time in the state this spring as of Thursday, according to milesplit.
The times were nice, but representing Haiti for the first time made the weekend unforgettable. The twins' parents, Marie Noel and Jonas Guerrier, were born and raised in Haiti, immigrating to the United States to attend college, Gloria said. Their home is still steeped in Haitian culture and pride.
“I consider myself Haitian,” Gloria said. “I grew up with the culture. I eat the food and speak the language. I’m very connected to the Haitian community because my parents are so connected to that country. Both my parents are very proud to be Haitian and it’s transferred down to me. I am also proud to be Haitian. I’ve enjoyed the culture to its full extent.”
The twins last visited the country in 2015, but haven’t been back because of the political turmoil that envelopes it, Gloria said. According to an NPR report from earlier this year, Haiti still had food, water and gas shortages and an overrun immigration office. Hearing reports of the chaos that exists in a place they love made the Guerrier sistesr even more eager to run well.
“My family said that any good news will bring light to the darkness in Haiti,” Gloria said. “Right now, they are dealing with such terrible times, and having some good news to present to the people would lift spirits and bring light to a dark time.”
Victoria Guerrier of West Hempstead competes in the girls 300 meter dash during the Nassau County Class C indoor track and field championships at St. Anthony's High School on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. She won with the event with a time of 40.90. Credit: James Escher
Victoria said that she was apprehensive at first to run at such a marquee meet so early in the season, but she’s glad she did. Her performance has even caused her to consider adding the 400 to her repertoire more regularly.
“This competition really opened my eyes to what I can do,” she said. “I think it’s only the beginning. I have so much to work on. Running with such strong runners was very inspiring. I feel very motivated now to continue the season and to work up to the level of the athletes I was competing [against].”
Baldwin’s Sariah Doresca, also competing for Haiti, ran a 12.09 in the 100 and a 24.95 in the 200 — the fastest times in the state in this spring, according to milesplit.
