The nation’s best student athletes showed up and showed out when the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) hosted its Inter Guiana Games (IGG) trials yesterday at the National Track and Field Centre.
As expected, standout athletes like Attoya Harvey, Javon Roberts, Tianna Springer and Ezekiel Newton were among the highlights of a scintillating day of fierce competition despite the overcast conditions.
Harvey, who won a set of medals (gold, silver and bronze) at this year’s CARIFTA Games in Jamaica, was victorious in both of her events yesterday.
The 16-year-old Uitvlugt Secondary School pupil climbed to the top of the podium in the 1500m and 3000m.
The fifth-former clocked respectable times of 5:20.10s and 11:22.81s in the respective races with just the gust being her biggest competition.
While Harvey recorded a double, Springer, of the Police Progressive Youth Club, achieved a rare 200, 400, 800m sweep of the podium.
Running out of lane eight in the girls 400m, Springer crossed the line first ahead of CARIFTA Games silver medalist, Narissa McPherson (56.70s) with a time of 54.95s.
The tall 15-year-old from North Georgetown Secondary then returned to win the 200m event in an eye-popping 24.89s. Springer was not done as she once ahead relegated McPherson (2:26.63s) to second in the 800m clocking 2:26.52s in a close exciting finish.
Newton, 17, recorded a sprint double and Roberts won both the 1500 and 800m boys events.
Newton, who snared silver in the 200m at the South American U-18 Champion-ships last month in Brazil, won the boys 200m in 21.93s hours after winning the blue riband 100m in a brisk 10.71s.
Roberts, a bronze medalist at this year’s CARIFTA Games clocked 4:22.75s and 2:00.97s in the 1500m and the two-lap race.
Harvey, Roberts, Springer, Newton and others are poised to dominate the Games next month.
Yesterday’s trials were used to select the local track and field outfit ahead of the three-day Games set to return from November 25.
The sum of 28 spots (14 males, 14 females) have been allotted to track and field for the games.
Guyana will host the games which is scheduled to be staged at various venues from November 25-27.
The trials was for all athletes under the age of 20 in all regions of Guyana.
Athletes must have been enrolled in an institution of learning to be eligible for participation.
At this year’s games, sportsmen and women will compete for medals in 10 disciplines. They are cycling, track and field, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, football, swimming, squash, basketball and badminton.
Initially held in 1967, the IGG is normally an annual affair among Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, with the most recent edition being held in Suriname in 2017.
The discipline of badminton was the latest addition to the list of sporting events. (Emmerson Campbell)
