KEVIN Bayley overpowered Trinidad’s Ashton Gill and Winston George championed the men’s 200m in two of the many prominent performances produced by the Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC), which pushed the team in the lead throughout the day, at the Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic, in day two of competition yesterday, at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden. It was another imposing win for the PPYC as the team maintained an impressive lead throughout the day and stood with 108 points after only 7 finals.
As anticipated, Police’s biggest contenders were the Guyana Defence Force team. However, after the seven finals, GDF stood 21 points behind while Mercury Fast Laners and Linden were battling for third place with 25 and 23 points respectively, after 7 finals.
With results from many events still coming in – the event went late into the evening – there was no telling how it would all end as night closed in in the mining town.
Lindeners turned out in their numbers for a day of riveting competition and got just that despite rain threatening the day’s event.
In the men’s 800m, Bailey did not get an easy time as he fought against not only Gill, but GDF’s Wayne Harlequin to win the race and retain his title. Bailey clocked 2:05.8s, with Gill coming in at 2:07.9s. Third place went to Wayne Harlequin who ran 2:08.5s.
In the men’s 200m, George, and Linden’s Compton Caesar, who clocked the fastest timings in the heat were the men to watch in the final, but with the race also including GDF’s Davin Fraser, Rupert Perry and Akeem Stewart, and Jamaica’s Nicholas Maitland, it promised to be an intense final.
In the end George showed that however intense, he could deal with any heat that came his way. In a record-breaking performance George nicked out the 21.10 record for the meet that he himself had set last year and blazed to a 21.9 seconds finish.
In his wake Linden’s Caesar clocked 22.1 seconds to hold on to second place and Fraser worked his way to third in a time of 22.3 seconds.
Another sharp battle played out as GDF’s Andrea Foster took a captivating win over Trinidad’s Dawnel Collymore in the women’s 1500m, another one of the competition’s lucrative international event.
Intense competition was what the roaring crowd wanted and it was what they got as Foster overtook Collymore on the final straight to win in 5:17.7s, and take home the US$250 prize money.
Collymore’s 5:20.6s second place earned her US$150, while Rising Star’s Alika Morgan collected US$100 for her third-place finish in 5:57.8s.
The 1500m was Foster’s second win of the day, as she earlier prevailed in the women’s 3000m in a time of 12:29.00s. Alicia Jack was just behind in 12:30.00s and Police’s Shion Boyer placed third in 13.03.8s.
Natrena Hooper was the one to watch in the women’s 200m and she ran away with it in 25.5 secs, taking down USA’s Jeamae McCammon who clocked 26 secs flat.
GDF’s Tyshon Bentick tried but failed to overthrow clubmate Cleveland Forde, who proved for another year that he is Guyana’s best distance athlete. Forde retained his title in a time of 17.37.6s, while secs behind was who Bentick clocked 17.39.2s.
In the relays, GDF collected the women’s 4x100m win in a time of 54.02s, Police claimed second in 54.04s and Super Upcoming Runners took third in 55.09s. In the women’s distance medley Police triumphed while the men’s distance medley was won by GDF.

By Tamica Garnett