57th GTU/MoE National Schools Cycling, Swimming & Track & Field Championships
…as Williams, Skeete add 200m records to collection
By Michelangelo Jacobus
It was just another day at the office for Daniel Williams as he powered his way to yet another record breaking run; this time in the 200M Boys U-18 race. The District 10 (Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani) athlete further tightened his district’s stranglehold on the championships helping them along to 521 points.
Williams had no real competition and ran the perfect race to cement his status as the best of the best in Guyana. The perfect start, the perfect buildup, almost the perfect finish. Williams showed that he could run much faster times as he relaxed to cross the finish line in a record time of 21.78s while Lionel Marks equalled Jason Yaw’s previous record of 22s flat for Silver while Umkosi Vancooten clocked 22.89s for bronze.
Speaking after his 200m exploits, the World Junior 400m Silver Medalist revealed that after his tame heat, he was aiming to better the record. He will be aiming to make it a threepeat of records in the 400m today.
Meanwhile, Deshana Skeete also bettered her own Girls U-16 200m record to make it two in a row. Skeete opened a sizable gap between herself and second placed Brianna Charles on the homestretch to cross the finish line in a new record time of 24.97s. Charles settled for silver at 26s flat while West Demerara’s Binka Joseph came in third for bronze with the clock at 26:19.
Among other records to be set on day four were the Boys U-18 and U-16 1500m records. In the U-18 category Ronell Newton clocked a workmanlike four minutes 23.65s to set a new bar while Jamal Scott was good enough to take second place in four minutes 27.06s with Garvin Stephen copping bronze with the clock at four minutes 27.77s.
Murphy Nash made it two records in two days when he added he Boys U-16 1500m record to Wednesday’s 400m record that he currently holds. Nash reset the record to four minutes 21.50s “miles” ahead of his closest rival Cordel Charles who took silver with four minutes 25.51s while Joel Williams crossed the finish line in four minutes 33.72s for a distant third.
Chantoba Bright also added to her list of growing records when she recorded 1.57m to claim gold in the Girls U-18 High Jump. Tiandi Smith was just behind with a height of 1.54m with Joylyn Gibson claiming bronze at 1.45m.
After 93 completed events the defending champions had amassed an unassailable lead with 521 points while the surprise package West Demerara (District 3) compiled 359 points with District 13 (South Georgetown) were in third position on 335.5 points.
Today’s final day of the championships will be highlighted with the 400m individual events, the cycle road races, various relays and the prize giving ceremony. Action is set to start at 10:00hrs.
