By Tamica Garnett

THOUGH no one was able to make any of the hoped-for Olympic qualifying standard, several of Guyana’s local athletes including Rupert Perry, Andrea Foster, Devaun Barrington and Cleveland Forde, gave stunning performances at Aliann Pompey Invitational which concluded last Saturday at the National Track and Field Championships in Leonora.Not the least of the day’s more impressive performances was Barrington’s thrilling win in the men’s 800m, a performance that had the packed venue on their feet roaring as he made his way to the finish line. Barrington championed the event in fine style, touching down in 1:52.48s. He won the race ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Sterlen Paul, who had a 1:53.30s finish.

Third place was copped by fellow Guyanese, Anfernee Headecker in 1:57.86s. Police Quacy Morian was fourth with 2:01.20s.
Following the event, Barrington noted that winning the race meant a lot to him, because it was his opportunity to show many of those who believe otherwise, that his athletic career is far from over.
“I just want to give God thanks for this victory, it means a lot for me. It will shut up the naysayers about my career, because a lot of rumours have been going around that my career is finished, my time is over, but God is in control and he will know when my time is over.”
For Barrington this run marks his return to competition after a three-month hiatus that was due to injury.
“This season was hectic for me, I was out for three months with an injury. I did sixteen days training for this meet, and it came out successful, just outside of my personal best. I’m just excited that I did not disappoint fans.”
In an all-Guyanese event, Foster clocked 2:22.74s for an easy win in the women’s 800m. finishing ahead of the 2:22.94s run by Kezra Murray. Foster was initially recorded as having finished second in this race. Third place went to Assata Eastman in 2:38.46s.
The three were the only participants in this event. Foster noted that while she always pushes herself to go after faster timings, she was somewhat disappointed that the race did not carry more competition to encourage her.
“I was looking for much more international athletes and overseas-based Guyanese athletes to run, I’m pretty sure it would have been more competitive.
Running with the time was just my aim because you have no kind of competition. It wasn’t the time that I expected but it was much faster than last week, so that’s nice.” Foster said.
Rupert Perry can thank the AP Invitational for pushing him to a new personal best in the men’s 100m. Competing in the packed race, which also included US-based Guyanese athletes Jeremy Bascom and Adam Harris, Perry was unable to make it to the medal podium after finishing fourth. However the Guyana Defence Force athlete celebrated a new 10.29 seconds PB in the race.
This timing puts Perry that much closer to his hopeful 10.16 seconds Olympic qualifying mark. If Perry can do so much better when pushed in a race it’s left to be seen how great heights he could reach, with the right training and good quality competitors.
Guyana’s 2012 Olympic representatives, Bascom and Harris, who also have 2016 Olympic Games aspirations finished sixth and 15th, respectfully, in this event.
Bascom clocked 10.49 seconds for his efforts while Harris ended with a pedestrian 11.52 seconds.
GDF’s Cleveland Forde remains Guyana’s distance champion, proving it with his win in of the men’s 5000m in a time of 15:53.62s. Guyana’s Winston Missigher and Cleveland Thomas were second (15:57.93s) and third (15:59.20s), respectively.
Claudrice McKoy took the women’s 1500m win in 4:53.68s, while Natrena Hooper ruled the women’s triple jump, another all-Guyanese affair, with a distance of 12.70m. Natricia was second place with 12.69m, and Linden’s Chantoba Bright peaked at 12.51m.