West Demerara District Three’s Miguel Williams leapt into the record books with his best attempt of 6.28m to win the boys under-18 long jump competition at the Rudolph Harper facility at the YMCA on Tuesday the first day of the 52nd annual Guyana Teachers’ Union National Schools Track and Field championships yesterday.
There was no established mark for the event since the introduction of the under-18 category in 2010. In subsequent editions, Nationals concluded with field events that were not staged. Williams’ remarkable leap now stands as the record for the long jump competition in the under-18 category. The under- 16 record (6.09m) is currently held by Rondel Gawin while the under 20-record (6.90) is held by Rickford Deane.
Williams posted 6.28m to narrowly edge one of North Georgetown District 11’s top sprinters Kevin Abbensetts (6.27m) of the Government Technical Institute (GTI). Placing third in that even was Upper Demerara District Ten’s Samuel Gray with a best attempt of 6.1m
Williams’ new record even surpassed the best attempt of eventual winner of the under- 20 category Neil Gordon. Gordon, who represented North Georgetown, posted 6.1m to win that category ahead of District Three’s Devon Browne (5.95m) and Eon Osborne (5.88m) of District Two (Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon) respectively.
Jomul Butts of New Amsterdam won the boys under-16 long jump with the leading distance of 5.81m, ahead of Kelon Primo of Upper Demerara District Ten and East Coast’s Joel Thom (5.58m)
Thom did return to win the boys undet-16 triple jump after producing a best attempt of 12.04m, just a fraction of a metre off Carlwyn Collins five-year-old record (12.17m). Nathaniel Jordan of District Six placed second while Ryan Bramble of District 15 placed third.
Upper Demerara’s Kelanie Griffith (4.91) stole the victory in the girls’ under-16 long jump ahead of Keesha Tucker (4.74m) of Essequibo Islands and Rupununi’s Tonica Anthon (4.6m).
Tasnica Lovell of District 13 (South Georgetown) won the girls’ under-18 long jump ahead of District Ten’s Shannon Griffith and District 11’s Shaquane Daniels. Nationals will continue tomorrow with action on the track as sprinters get ready to face off in the 100m and 80m heats, while middle distance athletes will als0 take the track for the 800m.
