-Barrington bags first national gold medal
Two-time CARIFTA gold medallist Jevina Straker won the girls 800m Under 20 yesterday at the 52nd edition of the Guyana Teacher Union Track and Field Championship at the Guyana National Stadium.
Straker clocked 2:19.2s to squeeze her way into the history books once again, after lowering a 31 year old mark by .05 of a second. The previous record holder, did not win just win two gold medals at CARIFTA, she won two gold medals (800m and 1500m) in the same year at CARIFTA. Lorrie Ann Adams, former national record holder and NCAA all-American, had set that record in 1981 as an athlete of South Georgetown. Straker seemed to have been after the record from the onset as she ran the first lap at an extremely fast pace, which is not her usual tactic.
Andrea Foster, last year’s CARIFTA bronze medallist in the girls under 17 1500m, clocked 2:22.5s to win the girls under 16 800m ahead of Denllie Gray (2:28.s) of District Six and Cassie Kirton (2:28.9s) of District Ten.
Melissa Byass also won the girls Under 18 800m in 2:29s to beat District 12’s Adama Roberts and Tamara Williams. Defending 800m and 1500m Under champion Grivon Grant withstood a valiant effort from Ornesto Thomas to reclaim his 800m title in record time. Grant clocked 2:01.6s, which now stands as the new 800m record while Thomas, who was disqualified for running on the inside of the track,clocked 2:01.9. Darren Dick was also second place while Kevin Paul moved up to the bronze medal position.
Finally first
North Georgetown’s middle distance star Devaun Barrington was finally able savour the feeling of a national gold medal after clocking 2:01.1 to win the Boys’ Under 20 800m. Barrington overcame several challenges from a very competitive field which included South American 10km junior champion Nathaniel Giddings (2:07.s)from Upper Demerara District Ten, who placed third.
Barrington took the lead from the get-go, establishing an early five metre lead in the first 200m of the race before passing the start line and hearing the ‘two laps to go’ order from officials at the 300m track. The 18-year old Barrington increased his pace once again with 500m remaining to fend off all possible surges and kept enough energy for a final sprint to finish during the final 100m. Barrington now has seven individual medals at Nationals, his seventh being his first gold medal.
