The marquee 100m races were scheduled to be the highlight of yesterday’s events of the ongoing 59th National School’s Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships.
However, with the exception of sprinter Deshana Skeete who broke her own Girls 17 and Under 100m record, the field athletes were the ones that stole the show at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora.
Many of the students and teachers who competed in the jumps (long and high) , shot put, discus and javelin events were in record breaking mode despite the overcast conditions.
High jumper and sprinter, Jennis Benjamin of Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani made hay of the little sunshine to record the highest jump of any student-athlete from the 592 in recent memory.
After breaking the previous synthetic track mark (1.78m) set by Okemi Porter last year, the high flyer urged on by a rhythmic handclap by the onlookers and his fellow competitors, proceeded to set a new mark at 1.80m.
The athlete from the Linden Technical Institute then asked for the bar to be raised to 1.85m and he easily scaled that, much to the jubilation of the crowd.
Benjamin who stated post-jump that this year is just the second time he has competed at ‘Nationals’, then requested the bar to be raised once again to 1.95m.
He scaled that by brushing the bar but it stayed on and his heroics sent the crowd into a frenzy.
He then set his sights on further raising the bar to 1.97m. Most of Benjamin’s athletic frame cleared the bar but his right heel brushed it on his descent on three consecutive attempts.
Unbothered, he then changed shoes and took his talents to the track and snared another gold medal in the Boys 19 and Under 100m final in 10.97s. Encosie Leitch of Corentyne earned the silver in 10.98s while Osmond Gilead of New Amsterdam/Canje snared the bronze in 11.14s.
It will be a day to remember for Benjamin who etched his name in history on the biggest stage of local school athletics.
As for setting a new personal best, he said “I can definitely jump higher.”
Meanwhile, Osafo Dos Santos, won gold in the Men’s Teachers U-31 Discus event. He threw 34.95m to smash Nyles Liverpool’s previous mark of 29.73, set last year.
Another Male Teacher, Roger Parris raised the bar on his own mark yesterday in the long jump to by leaping 4.83m, better than his previous of 4.76m.
Not to be outdone, student athlete, Jemecia Scott of North Georgetown destroyed the previous Girls 19 and Under discus record of 26.94m by throwing 33.48m yesterday.
Another record breaker was District Six’s Eron Leitch. He captured the Boys U-16 Long Jump gold and record after disturbing the sand with a giant leap of 7.10m. The previous record was set by Melon Lowenfield (6.47m) last year.
In excess of 12 field records were set yesterday. A full list of the record breakers at the year’s event will be published in a subsequent article.
Meanwhile in the blue riband event, Benjamin (District 10) and Keliza Smith (District 11) were among the fastest on the track, winning the Boys and Girls 19 and Under 100m finals respectively.
But Benjamin’s District mate, Skeete, broke her record in a photo finish with Briana Charles to create some excitement in the sprints. Skeete finished the marquee event as the fast female in 12.14s. Her record set last year was 12.17s. Charles finished in that same time, 12.17s yesterday.
The multiple CARIFTA Games medalist is a shoo-in to record a sprint treble. She will be going for gold in her pet 400 and 200m events today and tomorrow.
The penultimate day of the fixture starts at 09:00hrs this morning. The day’s activities will be highlighted with the 200 and 1500m finals. See you there as more records are anticipated to be broken.
