THE 400 metres showdown between Jevina Sampson, Avon Samuels and Natircia Hooper, coupled with impressive wins from CARIFTA Games medalists Jason Yaw, Cassie George, and Tirana Mitchell were among the highlights of the first day of competition in the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) 2014, CARIFTA Games trials, which commenced yesterday at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.In the girls’ Under- 18 1500m finals, 2013 CARIFTA Games 1500m gold medalist George pace was too hard for any of her contenders to follow.
The 15 year old clocked a time of 4:47.00, and finished a sizeable gap ahead of Shontel Hinds’ 5:07.00s second place finish.
George, who also won a silver last year in the girl’s Under- 17 800m, is expected to be in the Under- 18 800m when the competition continues today.
Bronze medalist Yaw also had an easy time in his win of the boys’ Under- 18 400m dash, where he finished 49.40s, a good way ahead of Mercury Fast Laners’ Kwesi Blair who trotted into second place some three seconds behind Yaw.
The race that had many spectators on their feet was the 400m showdown between Sampson, Samuels and Hooper, who respectively finished first second and third in the girls Under- 18 400m. Taking the lead after the first 100m Sampson seemed in for an easy win, however, the 200m turn gave Samuels and Hooper the advantage and they easily began to close in on Sampson, with Hooper seemed poised to overtake Sampson.
As Sampson’s endurance kicked in on the final straight both Samuels and Hooper were unable to keep up, and Sampson ended with the win in a time of 57.70s, while Samuels took second place of 58.50s, Hooper’s third came off a time of 59.60s.
Another struggle ensued in the girls Under- 18 100m dash where Tirana Mitchell fought hard for her win over Christianburg’s Onasha Rogers.
Mitchell, also a member of the Mercury Fast Laners, finished 12.00s flat, just surpassing the 12.20s clocked by Rogers. Enmore’s Cassie Tixey clocked 12.60s to finish third.
Kevin Abbensetts reigned supreme in the boys’ Under- 20 100m finals on a time of 10.40s, with second place going to Samuel Doris (10.70s) and MFL’s Quacy Simpson was third (11.00s). Though many had anticipated the face-off between Abbensetts and Police Sports Club’s Tevin Garraway they were denied the opportunity after Garraway pulled out of the 100m finals due to injury. Earlier in the day Garraway ran a 10.80s in the heats.
Arize Chance won the boys’ under 20 400m finals in 50 seconds flat, and Running Brave’s Dequan Vancooten won the boys’ under 18 100m in 10.90 seconds. In other events on the distaff side, Shoquan Daniels won the girls’ under 20 100m (12.10s) and Shomane Daniels won the category’s 400m race in 1:03.10s.
For field events the girls’ Under -18 long jump was won by Chantoba Bright who cleared a distance of 4.97m, Khadidja Ba won the category’s shot put after throwing a distance of 9.08m. Jabary Joseph (6.57m) won the boys under 20 long jump and Joel Thom (5:95m) won the jump in the boys’ under 18 category.
By Tamica Garnett