GUADALAJARA, Mexico. – Former Alaska Anchorage All-American David Registe won the bronze medal in the men's long jump at the 2011 Pan American Games on Tuesday with a leap of 25 feet, 10.75 inches (7.89 meters) at Telmex Athletics Stadium.

Registe (Palmer), who competed for Dominica, where he holds dual citizenship, recorded his podium-placing jump on his second attempt. A graduate of Colony HS, Registe didn't jump less than 23 feet all day recording jumps of 23-10.25 (1st attempt), 25-3.25 (3rd), 25-5.25 (4th), 24-8.25 (5th) and 25-2.5 (6th).

"Today was a good day," said Registe. "Not just for me but for my country of Dominica. It's an awesome feeling to represent something more than yourself and represent them well.

Venezuela's Victor Castillo won the event with a leap of 26-5, while Chile's Daniel Pineda was second at 26-1.75. Finishing fourth was USA's Jeremy Allyn Hicks.

Registe, the 2008 NCAA Div. II long jump champion, qualified for the finals after posting an event-leading jump of 25-10.25 in the qualification round on Monday. This marks Registe's first international medal. He also competed at the 2011 Central American & Caribbean Games.

UAA's first NCAA champion in track & field, Registe holds a career-best leap of 25-11.50, set in May of 2009 at the NCAA Championships.

"Coach E (Rafael Echavarria) was a huge reason why I did well today," said Registe. "Without him I had no chance of getting a medal. He paid his own way down to Mexico just to coach me, and I thank him immensely for that."

It is the first medal for Dominica in the 2011 Pan Am Games and just the country's third overall medal. The island nation picked up silver in 1995 and bronze in 2007.