IN their bid to reclaim supremacy in Track and Field at the Inter Guiana Games (IGG), Guyana dominated day one of the championships, yesterday, at the Andre Kampervene Stadium.
When the curtains came down on the day’s proceedings, the points table showed the Guyanese amassing 178 points, 13 more than their rivals and defending champions Suriname, while French Guiana sits in the cellar with 69 points.

After being dethroned last year by Suriname when the games were held in French Guiana, Guyana made sure that all of their top athletes were present this time around and also in good health.

Junior CARIFTA Games double gold medallist (2009 and 2010) Jevina Straker maintained superiority in the 1500 meters which she won clocking  four minutes, 59.90 seconds. Her teammate Andrea Foster was second with a time of 5: 34.31 seconds and Suriname’s Sefania Goncalves was third (6:01.28).

The Guyanese were not so lucky in the mens 1500M with their competitor Natheniel Giddings placing third (4:23.45) behind the Suriname pair of Clifton Betje (4:14.58) and Syveno Simison (4:17.11).

Stefan James who had won Guyana’s lone medal (bronze) at the South American Junior championships in Columbia continued his impressive showing on the track when he claimed gold in the Men’s 400M, winning in a time of 50.6, beating countryman Bevon Noble (51.2) and Suriname’s Anton Bosoe (53.77).

Thirteen year-old Jevina Sampson was the star of the day as she stunned the crowd with her blistering time of 59.22 seconds in the women’s 400M.

The diminutive athlete, considered by many as the next ‘big thing’ for athletics in Guyana, defeated her teammate and local adversary Melisa Byass into  second place (59.51) in a tight finish, while Suriname’s Genelva Diko was third (1:04.56).

Junior National champion Chavez Ageday powered his way to a comprehensive victory in the men’s 100M, running 10.83 seconds beating Suriname’s Jeffery Vanan (10.97) and Nathaniel Jurrel (11.42). Guyana’s Tevin Garrway (11.52) finished fourth.

Daniele Clarke, Suriname’s top junior sprinter, won the women’s 100M (12.33 seconds) ahead of Guyana’s Letitia Myles (12.57) while Tiffany Carto miserable showing at the championships continued with her fourth place finish and clocking a low time of 13.09 seconds.

Carto and Myles cost Guyana the 4X100M relay when they dropped the baton in their hand over and had to settle for third behind winners Suriname and French Guiana.

However, Tevin Garrway, Marlon Moshette, Stefan James and Chavez Ageday reclaimed the Guyanese pride when they won the Men’s 4X100 beating Suriname into second and French Guiana third.

In the field events, Guyana’s national under-16 high jump record holder Parish Cadogan claimed the men’s High Jump, clearing 1.83 Metres. Gayell Engeso of Suriname was second and Moshette was third.

But Cadogan fell short in the Triple Jump, finishing second (13.82 Metres) behind Quinte Pinas (13.99 metres) of Suriname with Guyana’s Marlon Moshette third (13.12 metres).
Alita Moore’s 11.14 metres was enough to claim Guyana’s gold in the women’s triple Jump event. She edged Suriname’s Priscilla Paitoe (11.12 metres) and French Guiana’s Larissa Galas (11.07 metres).

Troy Lewis threw an amazing 61.25 metres to win the men’s javelin event while his team mate Michael Bowman (53.7) was second. Bowman’s sister, Lisa, bettered his performance when she won the women’s Javelin event with distance of 32.79 metres.

The Guyanese are aiming to emulate their performance today which is the last day of the championships.