National Youth and Junior Championships…
Athletes from the Running Brave athletics club and the Christianburg-Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) dominated the competition on Day Two of the National Youth and Junior Championships being staged by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora, West Coast Demerara.
With several of the 2019 CARIFTA athletes on show, the competition was indeed riveting. CARIFTA Gold Medallist Anisha Gibbons showed that she was worthy of her accolade when she threw the javelin for a distance of 37.18 metres to cop gold in the Girls’ 17-and-Under javelin event. She was followed by Tennisha Bruce, whose throw was 18.62 metres for second place.
Jahaziah Copeland from the Upper Demerara Schools, another leading lady in the field events, recorded a throw of 10.76 metres to cop gold in the Girls’ 17-and-Under shot-put event.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s Javelin record holder Leslain Baird of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) made light work of the competition in the Men’s 20+ Invitational event by recording a throw of 69.02 metres for first place. Tremaine Beckles with a throw of 58.60 metres and Timothy Sealey with a throw of 53.36 metres completed the Javelin podium.
The Running Brave club made a clean sweep of the medals in the Girls U17 Long Jump event, with Keliza Smith bagging first place with a jump of 5.49 metres, Princess Browne coming in second with a jump of 5.43 metres, and Sasha Lyken’s leap of 5.04 metres awarding her third place.
On the track, Deshana Skeete who hails from CWSS expectedly outran her opponents in the Girls’ 17- and-Under 200 metre final with a time of 24.46s. She finished ahead of Running Brave athlete Brianna Charles, who recorded 24.97s, and Keliza Smith who recorded 25.12s.
Adriel Austin of Running Brave cruised home to first place in a time of 2.24.97s in the Under 17 Girls’ 800- metre event. Shaqua Tyrell’s time of 2.25.51 was close enough for second place, while Kissanna Glen took third in 2.25.73.
The experienced Aaliyah Moore of Police Progressive Youth Club had no trouble completing the Girls 18-19 800M race in first place with a time of 2.22.07. Moore finished with a significant lead over Tia Azore of CWSS and Tanya Smith of Super Upcoming Runners.
CWSS athlete Sheama Tyrell commanded the U17 300-metre event with a time of 11.13.70s, while Aaliyah Headley (12.09.67) and Jennifer Byass (12.23.00) rounded off the podium.
The male event saw Hopetown Flames athlete and CARIFTA Gold Medallist Matthew Gordon taking the first place with almost a minute ahead of the second place finisher. Gordon crossed the line on 9.38.42, while second-placed Cordell Charles finished in 10.25.52 and Trimel Bishop came third in 10.34.42.
Devon Giles of CWSS took the U19 5000 metre event in 9.38.42. He was followed by Kennard Hartog and Jeremy Wade in that order. The Men’s 20+ Invitational 800 metre event saw Devan Barrington crossing the line in first place, ahead of Anfernee Headecker and Danta Thom.
