The intermittent showers yesterday failed to put a damper on Day 3 of the National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships as the standout student athletes set the track ablaze with some scintillating performances.
Compton Caesar, Tevin Garraway and record breaker, Kenisha Phillips were some of the performers who highlighted events at the National Stadium.
Here are a few highlights:
100m Girls U-16
Phillips secured her status as the fastest female student sprinter of all time yesterday when she broke the under-16 100m record and bettered the under-20 record in the process.
The 15-year old phenomenon of District 4 posted 12.0s to lower the previous record (12.2s) set by Onasha Rogers last year at the same venue.
Phillips’ 100m run was also faster than the U-20 record which stands at 12.1s set by Rhobyn Alleyne in 2004 at the Enmore ground. The eye-popping run marks the culmination of a remarkably rapid rise to the top of the local sprinting ranks for someone who juggles training and studies.
Arch rival Cassie Small (District 12) finished second in 12.3s while Tiffauna Garnett (District 13) snared the bronze in 12.4s.
100m Boys U-18
Caesar’s only competition was the clock and the damp surface. The Lindener also overcame a sluggish start to emerge winner of the event in a blistering 10.7s.
The District 10 athlete now shares the all-time best time with Jason Yaw (2013), Keon Lynch (2011) and Chavez Ageday (2010). Tyrell Peters of District 15 (11.0s) and District 5’s Titus Webster (11.1s) joined Caesar on the podium.
100m Boys U-20
Prior to the marquee event, there was a buzz inside the venue before the finalists settled in their starting blocks especially from a section of the grandstand occupied by some vocal supporters. The race featured the highly fancied duo of Yaw and Garraway both of whom had posted some very fast times in the heats. It was also littered with pre-race jitters resulting in two false starts. However, Garraway held his nerve and was a blur after his signature explosive start and powered away from the field to record a 10.8s victory.
The fleet-footed District 3 sprinter, could not replicate his record breaking run (10.5s) of last year, but he got the job done ahead of Yaw (11.0s) of District 11 and Linton Mentis (District 12) who crossed the line for third in 11.1s.
800m
Claudrice McKoy (North Georgetown/District 11) was also a standout athlete yesterday after recording a double.
McKoy who won the 3000m under-16 race on Tuesday, underlined her class in a another superb display of speed and stamina, winning in excess of five meters in a brisk (2m:23.1s) to dominate the event in wire-to-wire fashion. The Chase’s Academy fourth form student who added another gold medal to her cabinet was never threatened by second and third place finishers District 3’s Joanna Archer (2m:25.6s) and Aaliyah Moore (2m.38.0s) of District 13.
Her district mates, Samuel Lynch (Boys U-18) and Orin Prince (Boys U-20) also recorded victories in the 800m yesterday to add valuable points to the defending champion’s tally.
Day 4 of the 55th annual fixture is set to commence at 09:00hrs with the 200 and 1500m events highlighting the programme.
Garraway, Caesar and Phillips will be among the 100m winners aiming to record a sprint double today.
