National U-20 athletes take lion’s share of medals
Independence Track and Field Meet…
By Michelangelo Jacobus
With the South American Youth Championships fast approaching, Guyana’s U-20 representatives got in some much-needed track time on Saturday at the opening day of the Guyana Overseas Based Sports Association (GOBSA) Independence track meet, held at the Leonora Track and Field Facility.
Claudrice McKoy (Centre) with her Gold Medal flanked by Leyanna Charles (right) and Kezra Murray (left)
In the main event of the day — the Men’s 20-34 100-metre finals — CARIFTA gold medallist Compton Caesar (10.47s) beat GDF’s Rupert Perry (10.49s) by a tenth of a second; while Tyrell Peters, who will also be representing Guyana at the S.A Games, closed out the podium spots by clocking a time of 10.72s.
In the Females 20-34 100-metre finals, Alita Moore (11.97s) continued her fine form by beating veteran athlete Alisha Fortune (12.28s) to claim the gold; while Kezia Bess (12.47) claimed the bronze.
Moore copped her second gold of the day when she ran a time of 56.68 in the 400-metre finals ahead of National U-20 athlete Avon Samuels (57.60s); while Cassie Small (1:01.90s), another U-20 athlete, came in third.
Claudrice McKoy soundly defeated the rest of the field as she ran 4:51.16s in her 1500 Metre Women’s 20-34 race. Fellow athletes Leyanna Charles (5:05.89s) and Kezra McKoy (5:24.78s) came in second and third respectively.
Earlier in the day, Running Braves athlete Deron Roberts (11.46s) bested Osrick Pellew (11.69s) and Jaroo Cox (11.82s) in the Boys 12-15 100- metre race.
With a time of 10.80s, yet another National U-20 athlete, Daniel Williams, took the Boys 16-17 100-Metres ahead off Jermaine King (11.03s) and Mark Solomon (11.17s). In the Boys 18-19, Ryan Bramble clocked a time of 10.94s to take gold ahead of Jonathan Garnett (11.21s) and Marcus Havercome (11.49s).
Over in the Girls 12-15 100-metres, Princess Brown of Mercury Fast Laners claimed gold with a time of 13 seconds flat, while Tokolie Daniels (13.07s) and Deborah Thorne (13.31s) came in second and third respectively. Onasha Rogers (11.80s) edged Kenisha Phillips (11.86s) in a tight Girls 16-17 100-metre final, while Tiffauna Garnett completed the top three in a time of 12.55s.
For the Girls 18-19 100-metre finals, Toyan Raymond (12.41s) placed first, Tonya Rawlins (12.59s) second, and Ruth Sanmoogan (12.63s) third.
CARIFTA Games Silver Medallist Anfernee Headecker continued his thus far highly successful year by winning his pet event, the Men’s 20-34 1500-metre in a time of 4:06.50s, ahead of teammate Matthew McKenzie (4:15.08s) and Odwin Tudor (4:18.41s).
An event contested by strictly Police Club athletes was the Men’s 20-34 400-metre final, which was won by Linton Mentis (49.32s) while Leon David (51.58s) was second and Yussuf Ameer (51.59s) placed third.
In the Boys 16-17 400-metres, Godwin Humphrey (51.10s) outran Brian Roman (51.26s) and Shamar Alleyne (53.56s) to take gold, while Stayon Wilson (50.02s) beat Dain McKenzie (50.88s) and Rue Chester (53.56s) in the Boys 18-19 400-Metre.
