Star teen sprinter Ezekiel Newton showed up and showed out during the weekend’s National Junior Championships and booked his spot to represent Guyana at the World Junior Championships next month in Colombia.
Newton, of Bladen Hall, brought his talents to the National Track and Field Centre and ran away with an emphatic double in the blue riband 100m and 200m events, en route to clinching a berth in the 100m at the Championships which will be staged from August 2-7 at the Olympic Stadium in Cali, Colombia.
The qualifying standard for the 100m is 10.60s for the championships which brings together the best U20 athletes in the world battling for supremacy.
Newton, 17, was the talk of the three-day meet which concluded Sunday as he was the fastest athlete out the blocks and across the tape, clocking an eye popping 10.55s in a dominant win in the marquee Boys 14-17 100m final. Running Brave Club duo, Shaquan Nelson (11.10) and Melech Barton (11.23s) completed the podium.
The Bladen Hall standout then returned to claim another first place finish in the 200m final, ending the half-lap event in 21.75s. On the back of sublime form, he relegated silver and bronze medalist, Omar James (22.07) and Jaheel Cornette (22.64s) to their eventual positions. Newton’s performance in the 100m was faster than the Boys 18-19 winner, Osa Blair who clocked 10.67s in the final. Shemar Horatio who placed second in the 100m, won the Boys 18-19 200m final in 21.66s, turning the tables on Blair who finished second in 21.76s. Simeon Adams placed third in 22.14s.
Adams, however, won the 400m in 48.12s, leading Joshua Lam (49.42s) and Diliza Lyken (49.62s) across the line.
Another athlete who will represent Guyana in Colombia’s sports capital is Keliza Smith, who has been Guyana’s fastest locally based female for the past two seasons. Smith, 19, has made the qualifying standard for both the 100m and 200m but also ran the 400m during the weekend, winning all three races.
The darling of the Running Brave Club clocked 11.66s in the 100m final, 24.67s in the 200m and 55.53s in the quarter-mile. She was just a shade above the qualifying standard in the 400m which is 55.20s.
Brianna Charles (100m) and Shontae George (100m, 200m) were the other qualifiers for Cali prior to last weekend’s championships.
President of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson, labeled the annual meet a success and stated that the next fixture on the association’s calendar will be the Olympic Day Run. The event will be staged on Sunday in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association.
