Defending champions of the Boyce/Jefford Classic Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) leads the mega meet with 105 points while main rivals Running Brave follow closely behind on 87 points at the end of the first day of the two day championships at the Police Sports Club ground Eve Leary.
In third place is Christianburg Wismar with 47 points.
Organizers of Guyana’s biggest track and field meet were forced to delay the start of yesterday’s events following mid-day showers. However, the waterlogged track did not impede the events as athletes once again braved the weather, putting on a superb show for the spectators.
Alika Morgan ran a tactical race in the Women’s International 3000m final winning the event in 11:25.30 seconds ahead of Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal who finished a few metres behind in 11:27.10 seconds. Two-time CARIFTA Games gold medalist, Jevina Straker, settled for third in 11:41.60 seconds.
Guyana’s Distance King and Guyana Defence Force track star, Cleveland Forde ruled in the Men’s 5000m, winning ahead of initial race leader, Nathaniel Giddings of the Police Progressive Youth Club.
Forde, with a blistering home sprint, dusted Giddings in 16:58.30 seconds. Giddings was able to stop the official’s clock at 17:03.70 seconds while his team-mate, Dennis Horatio clocked 17:29.60 seconds to edge Running Brave’s Winston Missenger for third place.
The Men’s 3000m Distance Medley Relay saw the Police boys, Kevin Bayley, Shawn Semple Nathaniel Giddingss and Dennis Horatio putting on a show to bring down the curtains of day one.
It was a sweet revenge for the team after the female team lost to Running Brave. Bayley (800m), Semple (400m), Giddings (1200m) and Horatio (1500m) collectively clocked 8:00.20 seconds, to beat Running Brave’s 8:00:60s handing Police 30 points.
Selwyn Foster, Orin Prince, Devon Barrington and Cleveland Thomas made up the team for Running Brave. Third was the Guyana Defence Force in 8:45.30 seconds.
Running Brave’s female team of Andrea Foster, Natrena Hooper, Shomane Daniels and Jevina Straker carried home the baton in 7:24.80 seconds ahead of PPYC’s, Nadine Rodrigues, Tenisha Punch, Shion Boyer and Jenella Jonas who were some 50m behind in 8:03.10 seconds.
PPYC’s Tracy Moses’s last leap of 5.09m in the Women’s Long Jump allowed her to win the event ahead of her team-mate Cindy Fraser who bounded to 4.93m. Natrena Hooper secured third place with 4.85m.
Police’s Troy Williams took the Men’s Long Jump with his best leap of 6.41m ahead of Upper Demerara’s Winston Caesar 6.39m.
Maurice Gibson of Running Brave was third with 615m.
Qualifiers for today’s sprint and middle distance finals are:
200m Women’s: Alisha Fortune (26.70), Alita Moore (27.00), Tiffany Carto (27.10), Neisa Allen (27.70), Tirana Mitchell (28.20), Tiffany Smith (28.50), Kelanie Griffith (28.90) and Shinelly Morion (31.10).
400m Women’s: Alita Moore (1:03.40), Natrena Hooper (1:03.50), Neisa Allen (1:06.70), Tiffany Smith (1:07.00), Tiffany Carto (1:07.80), Melissa Byass (1:08.50), Euodia Forte (1:08.50) and Niomi Alsopp (1:18.40).
100m Men’s : Stephan James (10.50), Akeem Stuart (10.70), Keith Roberts (10.70), Shawn Semple (10.80), Winston Caesar (11.10), Kevin Abbensett (11.20), Davin Fraser (11.30), Selwyn Foster (11.30).
200m Men’s: Stephan James (23.30), Kevin Abbensett (23.30), Jason Yaw (23.40), Akeem Stewart (23.40), Keith Roberts (23.50), Shawn Semple (23.70), Floyd Phillips (23.80) and Delon DeAbreu (26.50).
400m Men’s: Jason Yaw (53.00), Shawn Semple (53.10), Stephan James (53.60), Kevin Bayley (53.90), Leslain Baird (54.20), Quacy Simpson (54.40), Eion Rodney (55.60) and Bevon Noble (55.70).
800m Men’s: Mark London (2:02.50), Cleveland Thomas (2:03.10), Kevin Bayley (2:03.10), Jayon Johnson (2:03.80), Cleveland Forde (2:07.90), Reon Radix (2:09.00), Mark Jarvis (2:09.30) and Devon Barrington (2:14.90).
