CARIFTA Games gold medallist Natrena Hooper, national record holder Leslain Baird and Andrea Foster were among the list of Guyanese who took podium positions at Trinidad and Tobago NGC/SAGICOR/NAAA National Open Championships which concluded last weekend at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Hooper struck gold in the women’s high jump where she cleared 1.75m. Second-place finisher Deandra Daniels also cleared 1.75m. Reaching only 1.70m, third place went to Glenka Antonia.
Foster took second in the women’s 800m, behind Trinidad Alena Brooks who clocked 2:10.32s for the win. Foster finished in an improved 2:16.34s for second.
Meanwhile, men’s javelin record holder, Baird, ended with a best throw of 67.60m to come in third behind Keshorn Walcott and Shakiel Waithe, respectively. Walcott topped the event with a throw of 80.45m, Waithe was second with 79.53m.
In the men’s 200m, Guyana’s Winston George, still on his pursuit to qualify in the event for the Olympic, once again fell short as he clocked 20.64 seconds to take third place in the sprint. His time was barely outside the 20.50 seconds qualifying mark.
If he doesn’t make the mark by the July 11 deadline, the national men’s 400m record holder will still look forward to doing his best in the men’s 400m at the Olympics, which he has already qualified for.
Guyana Defence Force’s Rupert Perry, also in this event, clocked 21.43 seconds.
In the men’s 800m, Devaun Barrington celebrated a new personal best after just missing out on a podium position. Barrington finished fourth in 1:51.96s, just behind the 1:51.74s clocked by Moise Joseph for third.
The race was won by Nicholas Landeau in 1:49.55s.
Guyana was also represented in the men’s 400m hurdles and women’s 100m hurdles by Kelton Cumberbatch and Jenea McCammon, respectively.
Cumberbatch clocked 52.47 seconds, while McCammon finished her race in 13.79s. The women’s 100m hurdles was won by Trinidadian Mulern Jean 13.06 seconds.
Jermaine Griffith in the men’s 400m clocked 46.13 seconds in the preliminaries and 46.44 seconds in the final.