THE GUYANA Defence Force (GDF) hold a slight advantage, unofficially, going into today’s second day of track and field action in the Inter-Service Annual Athletics Championships which got under way at the Camp Ayanganna ground yesterday. 

According to Chronicle Sport’s tally, with eight finals completed, the GDF have 134 points, leading the defending champions Guyana Police Force by four points, with Guyana Fire and Prison Services and City Constabulary being the other competing teams.
Not often is a field event considered the ‘hot ticket’ at a local athletics championship, more so, a throwing event, but the men’s discus capped off day one’s action. With six throwers and five throws down, the GPF’s Ronald Payne was in gold position with 39.11m, a distance he recorded in his 2nd attempt.
Two athletes would, however, dig deep in the sixth round, to relegate Payne to third.
Favourite Julio Sinclair, after fouling throws 4 and 5 with the spin technique, opted for a stationary stance in the sixth and he registered 40.15m, making his set for gold, but the GDF’s Troy Lewis held nerve and heaved the plate 40.26m, snatching victory and sending his small band of supporters into an uproar.
The multi-talented Natasha Alder took gold with a throw of 30.72 metres – recorded in the first round of her six throws. Her GPF teammate Sophina Vanderstoop finished second with 28.28m as Wonnetta Wayne of the GDF took third with 27.45m.
Eight finals were contested on the day. In the men’s 5 000m – GDF’s Cleveland Forde, proved he is still in a class by himself, coming home alone after running a tactical race from the start.
He maintained a steady pace, watching the race leaders and as the laps dwindled, Forde got stronger. Four laps to go, Forde’s, teammate Tyshon Bentick and GPF’s Nathaniel Giddings were the three to watch, but with two laps to go the army athletes made a break and on the final lap it was Forde who comfortably won in 15 mins 52.02 seconds. Bentick finished 2nd and Giddings third.
Janella Jonas of Police won the women’s 3 000m in 11 mins 14.02 seconds ahead of Carlisa Atkinson and Alicia Jack, both of the GDF.
Back on the field, Patrick King (GDF) recorded a leap of 6.95m to take the gold and ten points, the GPF’s Yoel Benjamin’s 6.61m for silver and eight points and Carlos Haynes with 6.57m and 6 points, finished third for the GDF.
Tracey Moses of the GPF won the women’s long jump with a leap of 5.57m, with Letita Myles 2nd and Aniqua Powley third – both of the GDF.
Powley, however, impressed in Heat 1 of the women’s 100m, clocking 11.9 seconds. On Friday she will meet GPF’s Onika Eastman who also stopped the clock at 11.9 seconds in Heat 2. They were the only females to run below 12 seconds on the day.
The men’s 100m final will be keenly contested as well with GDF sprinters claiming the top spots in both heats. Davin Fraser recorded the fastest time in Heat 1 – 10.4 seconds, with his team mate – Akeem Stewart clocking 10.5 seconds in Heat 2.
Olympian Winston George of the GPF won his 400m Heat comfortably and looks on course to run away with the gold, while GDF ran away with the top spots in male and female 4 x 100m Ranks relays.
Action continues today from 10:30hrs with 10 finals and the heats in the male and female 200m at the same venue.

(Leeron Brumell)