Cleveland Thomas is top male athlete; Alika Morgan, Natasha Adler share female title
By Tamica Garnett
Cleveland Thomas was declared the undisputed Champion Boy at the inaugural President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic held Sunday at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.
The Champion Girl title, however, was shared between National Park United athlete Alika Morgan and Police Progressive Athletics Club athlete Natasha Alder who ended the meet with three wins each.
The two athletes, Morgan and Thomas, spearheaded their clubs to the top monetary prizes with National Park United (NPU) accumulating 279 points securing the top prize of $300,000.
They were closely followed by Police Sports Club with 268 points which earned them $200,000 for the second place.
Guyana Defence Force (GDF) accrued 210 points to gain $100,000 at the end of the meet, while home team Upper Demerara who lagged behind throughout and ended in the cellar position got $50,000.
With the NPU comprising a powerful collaboration of the best athletes from four clubs – Rising Stars, Running Braves, Enmore, and Royal Youth Movement – the team was destined for victory.
Nevertheless the team received stiff competition from PSC.
Thomas secured 22 points to win the title. He placed first in the 1500m beating off the challenge of Dennis Horatio. Kevin Bailey was third.
Bayley and Horatio later got their revenge on Thomas in the 800m which was won by NPU’s Wayne Harlequin 2:00.30s.Horatio, 2:02.30s was second and Bayley, 2:03.40, third. Thomas ended in fifth position.
He, however finished second in the 5000m, coming in behind GDF’s Wilbert Mingo,17:27.00s but ahead of UD’s Nathaniel Giddings, 18:06.00s.
Morgan grabbed wins in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m races.
Guyana’s leading female distance athlete clocked five minutes and seven seconds in the 1500m finishing some 13 seconds ahead of Jevina Straker. Third place went to Ashanti Scott who finished 10 seconds after Straker.
In the 800m, Morgan gave way to promising distant athlete Carlisa Atkinson for the first half of the race while Straker relaxed at the back. However at the signal for the last lap, Morgan and Straker emerged from the pack to take the lead.
Morgan finished in two minutes and 28 seconds, two seconds ahead of Straker while third place finisher Atkinson recorded two minutes and 36 seconds.
Morgan then captured the 3000m in 11 minutes and 21.10 seconds. She was trailed by Scott 11:40.40s, and Atkinson 12.41.30s.
Alder dominated the field events.
She won the long jump in 4.70m from Upper Demerara’s Leanna Fields, 4.54m, and National Park’s Mawava Simons, with 4.21m.
In the shot put event, Alder’s 9.65m was way ahead of second placed Joan Browne’s 7.98m while Upper Demerara’s Seota Byass placed third with 7.60m.
Alder’s third win came in the javelin event where she threw 25.89m.
Second place went to Phylicia Burke who threw 25.12m with GDF’s Wonnetta Wayne, 21.45m, third.
Burke captured her first and only gold medal win of the day as she threw to 27.48m in the discus event.
Second place went to Byass (26.93m) while PSC Eudel Castello (24.93m) was third.
GDF’s Leon Bishop won the men’s long jump and Leslain Baird the men’s javelin throw while PSC’s Ronald Payne won the discus throw with 38.46m and Kevin Bonnett the shot put with 10.80m.
Alisha Fortune won the 100 and 200m clocking 12.40 seconds in the 100m final.
Letitia Myles, 12.80s, was second and Neisa Allen, 13.10 seconds, third.
Fortune clocked 26 seconds in winning the 200m from Allen, 27.03s with Myles, 27.30s, third.
Allen captured the 400m in 1:04.10s mere milliseconds ahead of Myles (1:04.80) in second and Shanna Thornhill (1:04.90) in third.
Rupert Perry clocked 11 second flat in winning the men’s 100m from Kenneth Semple and Michael Saul.
Perry also won the men’s 200m in 22.20s from PSC’s Winston George 22.50s and GDF’s Patrick King, 22.60s, third.