Former national swimmer Asantie Mickle yesterday lit up the University of Guyana Inter-Faculty Track and Field Championships yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.
The meet saw several indiscretions with the male discus event being staged while the track events were underway in addition to there being lengthy time spans between events.
Nevertheless a sizeable gathering witnessed a few good races and many poor ones in the seemingly hastily-organised event.
Former national athlete and swimming record holder Mickle added spark to the proceedings by showing that she still has the goods that made her a school champion.
The 22-year-old, who is in her final year of her Public Management course, comfortably beat the rest of the field in the 200m heats and final.
Mickle defeated two other school athletes Carlyn Waite and Shundell Durant, who were second and third respectively.
After her win Mickle told Stabroek Sport that she feels good to know that she still has the ability to perform at this level, even though she has not been training.
She also pointed out that while balancing academics and sport is challenging, it is her belief that the two must complement each other.
“This is my natural ability to perform at this level even though I am not training. I try to keep fit but it is challenging sometimes to balance academics and sport but I believe that the two should go hand-in-hand,” the multi-talented former Tutorial High School student noted.
Eighteen-year-old Owen Adonis of the Social Sciences Faculty emerged from the hassle and confusion of the scratch start and led from the 150m mark of the 200m race.
“I was boxed in at the start of the race but I found my footing after the first 100m.”
He added that he felt good after the race was finished.
Adonis, who is reading for a degree in Economics, revealed that he had only restarted running a year now after he competed at his alma mater, St. Joseph’s High School. The wiry Adonis defeated Courts Pacesetters point guard Hugh Arthur of Natural Sciences while Kevin Tucker was third.
