Several athletes making a return from injuries sustained last season sent an early warning at the Amateur Athletic Association’s League 1 meet at the National Stadium yesterday.
Although he was never pushed, Blitz’s Shae Nurse looked smooth and easy in winning the Under-15 boys’ 800 metres in 2 minutes, 20.61 seconds.
Showing no sign of the hamstring injury which slowed him for much of last year, he dictated the pace, followed by first-year Under-15 athlete Rivaldo Leacock of Rising Stars in 2:31.71 and Williams Perch of Wibisco Stars in 2:44.93.
That Under-15 division is shaping up to quite a competitive one, and another Blitz athlete, Tamal Atwell, showcased his speed in winning the 400 metres.
Atwell picked up the stagger quickly and showed the rest of the field a clean pair of heels for the whole race.
Arms pumping, he never slowed, running straight through the line in 53.63 seconds. Leacock was again second in 56.62 and Quantum Leap’s Joash Best third in 58.03.
CARIFTA Games captain Tyrell Forde of Rising Stars opened the season with 14.18 seconds in the Under-20 boys’ 110-metre hurdles.
Forde – who was hobbled for most of last season after falling and hurting his knee at Inter-School Sports – looked quite sharp going over the ten hurdles.
Teammate Rhys Phillips was second in 15.33 seconds after slowing down over the last five metres, and BC Trac’s Troy Waltress third in 16.72.
However, Kenrisha Brathwaite was unable to test her quad.
With no one to go with her in the women’s 100m hurdles, she went back to the stands.
In the other hurdles, BC Trac’s Jalisa Burrowes (12.46) and Danielle Scantlebury (12.69) were second and third in the 75m hurdles, and Michael Nicholls of Rising Stars clocked 12.41 in the 80mh.
With only four men on the line, it was a chance for Chad “False Start” Sandiford to show what he could do in the men’s 100 metres. But true to his nickname, he false-started and was walking back with his clothing as Simon Reid (11.28) led the Wibisco Stars sweep of David Johnson (11.39) and Andrew Pierce (11.62).
Reid did the double, winning the 200 metres in 22.69 seconds, followed by Rising Stars’ Marv Gamble (22.84) who couldn’t close the gap coming off the turn, and Johnson third in 22.90.
John Haynes of Wibisco Stars won the Under-17 boys’ 400m in 50.70; Quantum Leap’s Akela Taylor the girls’ race in 60.26, and Tristan Evelyn of Rising Stars the
Under-15 race in 62.54.
Jerrad Mason of Rising Stars warmed up for his pet races – the 400 and 800m – winning the 1 500 metres in 4:21.15.
In the field events, Sherlyssa Harris won the women’s shot put with 8.10 metres and Ashley Vaughn threw exactly one metre less for second place.
Donnelle Grant won the Under-17 division with 8.09 metres.
Kemar Holder-Edghill won the men’s event with 13.67m, followed by Tristan Whitehall with 13.19.
Romario Antoine won the Under-17 event with 11.94m, with Mickell Als second with 7.19m.
