WITH dominating performances from South American Youth Championship gold medallist Jason Yaw, the Athletics Association of Guyana season got off to an impressive start last Sunday with the hosting of the year’s first developmental meet held at the Guyana Defence Force ground. Yaw captured the Boys Under-20 80m dash in a time of 8.7 seconds, as competition commenced on the rain-soaked ground. The Running Brave’s Yaw defeated his club mate Quacy Clementson, who won his heat in a time of 8.8 seconds but was second in the final. Third place went to Morris Gibson who finished in 9 seconds.

Yaw also could not be overcome in the male open 600m run where Clementson once again had to settle for second place. It took Yaw 1:24.9s to cover the distance, while it took Clementson 1:25.3s, Cleveland Thomas managed to keep up enough to take the third place, clocking 1:25.4s.
Thomas was not completely without a win for the day as he finished the Men’s open 2000m in 6:17.2s to take the gold, while Matthew McKenzie was second in 6:17.2s.
The day’s event peaked with a showdown between GDF athletes Rupert Perry, Akeem Stewart and Patrick King in the male open 300m run.
The race went to Stewart who finished in a time of 35.3 seconds, while King came in a millisecond behind in 35.4 seconds. Perry ended the race in 35.7 seconds.
On the distaff side, siblings Natrena and Natricia Hooper battled, with Natrena prevailing in a time of 41.3 seconds, just ahead of the 41.4 seconds clocked by Natricia. Natrena was at it again in the female Under-20 80m where her 10.3 seconds was more than enough to see her defeat Tirana Mitchell. Natricia had a win in the female open 600m where she overpowered Avon Samuels in a time of 1:35.8s.
However, it was Samuels who overpowered Natricia when it came to the Girls’ Under-18 80m sprint. Samuels took only 9.9 seconds to get to the finish line, while Natricia did it in 10.1 seconds.
Andrea Foster who came third in the 600m female open, took the front spot in the 2000m female open, with her 7:12.5s enough to beat Claudrice McKoy’s 7:14.1s finish.
In the field event division Kleon Spellen took the male open discus, after the 39.95m he threw in his second effort. In second place was Yoel Benjamin. On the female side Ashanti Carrington won with a throw of 22.83m.