There were some outstanding individual performers last week and many of them will have to carry the load to give their team a chance to win Monday’s finals of the Pine Hill National Primary Schools’ Athletic Championships at the National Stadium.
After the opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m., the first race is scheduled to start 30 minutes later with Cheyanne Cummins of Christ Church Girls’ setting the tone for what could be her schools’ third crown, and first since they win the first two editions in 2002 and 2003.
The fact that all of their relay teams have reached the finals will go a long way and they also have a representative in most of the field events.
Two-time defending champions Bayleys Primary have lost their dynamo Jaria Hoyte who is now at Deighton Griffith, and will have to rely on Azariah Nurse, Anika Blackman and Alisha Best to get the job done.
The boys’ race will be closer, with Williams Industries West Terrace Tigers, Milton Lynch Primary, Charles F. Brome in the mix.
As for those outstanding individuals, the West Terrace trio of Jamahl Burke, Leilani Haddock and Ajani Haddock will be drawing cards.
Burke will renew rivalry with Fabian Leon of Eden Lodge, All Saints’ Shaquille Ifill and Matthew Clarke of Milton Lynch.
Raheem Taitt-Best of St Martin’s Mangrove will be looking to show he can sustain the high standard he set coming up against Ajani in the Under-11 division. Also in that division, Leilani, Akayla Morris of Wilkie Cumberbatch and Westbury’s Rhea Hoyte should be quite a clash.
Sharon’s Rosette Hoyte has been the toast of the Under-13 girls’ 400m class, but hasn’t even begun to tap into her potential. She should get that competition, coming up against Cummins and Shonita Brome of Roland Edwards Primary.
