Local athletes were able to flex their muscles in spite of coronavirus restrictions when the final track event for the foreseeable future was contested over the weekend.
Nine-man race! The start of the 800m male event (Jemima Holmes photos)
Despite the disappointment occasioned by cancellation of the CARIFTA Games lingering in the air, the nation’s junior athletes showed up at the National Track and Field facility at Leonora over the weekend, and posed stiff challenges to the seniors during the Athletics Association of Guyana’s Early Season Classic.
The seniors and juniors were encouraged to compete in the same pool in order to develop the youngsters and acquaint them with tougher competition.
The female 100m dash was dominated by the experienced Running Brave Athletics Club (RBAC), which swept the podium and the top six spots. Ruth Sanmoogan came in first with a time of 12.02s, while Princess Browne and Alisha Fortune clocked 12.30s and 12.41s for second and third respectively. Karese Lloyd, Shequita Marcus and Krystal Morris, all of the RBAC, occupied 4th to 6th positions.
Adriel Austin bagged gold in the 400m and 800m races
Police Progressive Youth Club’s (PPYC’s) Hannah Reid shone in her pet event, the 200M race, clocking 25.14s for first place. The Guyana Defense Force pair of Euzeka Williams and Deborah Thorne were second and third with respective times of 24.23s and 25.58s.
In the male versions of those events, Davin Fraser of the PPYC crossed the line on 10.26s to beat a field of experienced contenders in the 100m dash. His club mate Emmanuel Archibald was second on 10.32s, while GDF’s Akeem Stewart completed the podium with 10.42s.
Devan Barrington crosses the line
Stewart improved his showing in the 200m event by clocking 21.03s for first place, while New Amsterdam’s Nicholas Denheart came in second with 21.98s, and PPYC’s Stephon Boodie was third with 22.05s.
Top female athlete Adriel Austin had a marvellous two days on the track, bagging gold in the 400m and 800m events. In the 400m event, this RBAC athlete clocked 56.61s for the win, finishing ahead of Deborah Thorne who clocked 1.01.47s for second.
And at dusk on Sunday, Austin won the 800m event by crossing the line ahead of Upper Demerara’s Tia Azore and GDF’s Maria (Chiney) Urquhart, who completed the podium.
Courtley Bobb of the PPYC was the man to beat in the male 400m event. He clocked a winning time of 48.64s to defeat Running Brave’s Daniel Benjamin (49.08s) and GDF’s Godwin Humphrey (49.63s) into respective second and third places.
GDF’s Devaun Barrington, who missed the podium in the 400m event, had his moment of redemption in the 800M race when he crossed the line in a winning time of 1.53.74s, while PPYC’s Courtley Bobb clocked 1.55.13 for second and GDF’s Marlon Nicholson was third with 1.56.03.
Attoya Harvey cruised to the finish line in the 3000m event
RBAC’s Attoya Harvey opted for one distance event and aced it, clocking 11.27.03 for the 3000m gold. Her clubmate Rosemond Harvey was second with 12.25.57.
Odida Parkinson contested the male 3000m event with the sole intention to better his timings, as he was the only contender. Parkinson clocked 10.39.79.
In the field events, Leslain Baird of the GDF kept his slate clean with a Javelin throw of 71.77m for the win. Running Brave’s Randy Hamilton and Upper Demerara’s Joshua Tappin were second and third with respective throws of 54.14m and 52.33m.
Emmanuel Archibald took home the gold in his pet event, the long jump. He leapt 7.93m to defeat Tremaine Browne and Anthony Williams, whose leaps were measured at 7.80m and 7.64m to complete the podium.
Annalisa Barclay won the female long jump event with a leap of 5.65m. PPYC’s Odessa France leapt 4.87m for second while Savannah Adams leapt 4.86m for third.
Princess Browne of RBAC added a triple jump gold to her collection with a leap of 12.59m. Annalisa Barclay was close, but had to settle for second with 12.09m. Shainana Liverpool, also hailing from Upper Demerara, leapt 11.26m for third.
GDF’s Virlyn Gibson, lone athlete in the high jump event, cleared the bar at 1.56m.
