Senior athletes shine at National Championships

Having had some much-needed practice and a chance to gauge their abilities against the topmost level of local competition in athletics during the recently concluded National Senior Championships, Guyana’s top athletes will now be turning their full attention to the Aliann Pompey Invitational meet, which is scheduled to be held at the National Track and Field Facility at Leonora, West Coast Demerara on Saturday, July 6th.
On the last day of those National Senior Championships, the most anticipated event was the Men’s 200M race, which was comfortably won by Emanuel Archibald in a time of 20.92s as he represented the University of Guyana.
Daniel Williams, with a time of 20.94s, had to settle for second place, while Arinze Chance’s 21.53s was only good enough for third.
In the female version of this event, Kenisha Phillips outsprinted the competition to take gold in 24.19s. Jovanna Gustave’s second place finish was recorded at 24.79s, while Natrena Hooper’s 24.93s afforded her third place.
Arinze Chance embraced his chance to shine on the podium by completing the 400M event in 46.42s to take gold. He was followed by Brian Roman (48.15s) and Revon Williams (49.20s) respectively in second and third.
Keliza Smith emerged as the alpha female in the 400M event after clocking 59.50s to take gold. Tiea Lowe (1:04.21) and Makeba Maxwell (1:07.32) — Mercury Fast Laners club members — came in second and third respectively.
It came as no surprise to the spectators when, in the 800M event, Police Progressive Youth Club’s Joanna Archer crossed the line first in 2:13.84. Running Brave’s Kissanna Glen was close behind, clocking 2:14.61, while Aaliyah Moore (PPYC) finished third with 2:23.27.
Devaughn Barrington of the Guyana Defence Force won the male version of the 800M event with a time of 1:51.45s. Anfernee Headecker and Samuel Lynch took second and third respectively in 1:54.03 and 1:57.63.
In the 3000M steeplechase event, GDF’s Odwin Tudor cruised to victory in 10:02.53, outperforming Royston Fordyce (PPYC), who clocked 10:16.18, and Cleveland Thomas, who clocked 10:33.19 for third place.
Natrena Hooper outperformed Chantoba Bright to take the Triple Jump gold with a leap of 12.71m. Bright’s jump of 12.47m was only good enough for second best, while Princess Browne’s jump of 12.32m afforded her third place.
These Guyanese athletes, local and foreign, will now shift their focus to this weekend’s Aliann Pompey Invitational, and it remains to be seen whether the status quo would be changed.