It took the photo finish camera to separate Levi Cadogan and Deon Hope when sprinting’s battle royale played out at the National Stadium yesterday.
Everyone was anticipating the Under-20 Boys’ 100-metre final at the Powerade-sponsored Inter-House Track and Field Championships of The St Michael School which pitted Cadogan against Hope, who transferred in the midst of the Alexandra School impasse last month.
Hope, of Elizabeth, got the better start and led the race for close to 90 metres, holding off the hard-charging Cadogan of Victoria.
But when the latter drew alongside him approaching the gather lines, Hope seemed to lose his stride, his left arm cartwheeling rather than pumping.
Cadogan’s form never broke and while it appeared that they crossed the line in a dead heat, the camera clocked Cadogan in 10.826 seconds and Hope in 10.827.
The official time of 10.83 erased Everton Greenidge’s 2009 mark of 10.95.
The pair returned again in the 200 metres and Hope quickly picked up the stagger before blowing out of the turn, but Cadogan was in the lead by the time they hit the straightaway.
Cadogan completed the double in another record of 21.46 seconds, Hope second in 21.78, replacing Greenidge’s 22.25. Hope won the 400m in 51.03 seconds, removing Wendal Davis’ 51.33 from the books.
Five other records, eight in total, were broken yesterday as Elizabeth won for the first time in a decade. With 1 034.5 points, Elizabeth were also best in the field events, on the track and in the relays.
Anne were second with 920 points followed by defending champions Victoria on 839 and Boadicea on 718.5.
The other record breakers were Akela Taylor of Elizabeth with 25.17 in the Under-20 Girls’ 200m and Victoria’s Shanice Howell with 59.78 in the Under-17 Girls’ 400m, lowering her own time from 61.09. Housemate Danielle Scantlebury was second, under record pace with 61 seconds flat.
Victoria had an unfair advantage with Howell, Scantlebury and Best Female Sprinter Leah Barker. In the 4x100m along with Timesha Vaughn, they clocked 51.58 seconds, down from 53.10. Chazelle Cumberbatch replaced Vaughn in the sprint medley and they also set a new record of 1:52.27, down from 1:53.85.
Barker also won the 100 in 12.38 and the 200 in 25.45.
Anne’s junior medley team which featured Joash Best set a new mark of 1:52.86. Earlier, Best won the Under-15 Boys’ 100 (11.62), 200 (23.48) and 400 (59.24).
Cumberbatch took the senior victrix ludorum title. Her only wins were in the high jump and javelin, but she placed in the top three in almost every event except the shot put, for 74 points.
National weightlifter Brien Best of Victoria was the senior victor ludorum with wins in the Under-17 Boys’ discus (32.08 metres); long jump (5.91m) and 100m (12.16).
Anne’s Kiana Russell won the 100m (14.46), 200 (29.30), 400 (1:09.75), 800 (2:57.34) and long jump (4.06m) en route to winning the Under-13 division and the junior victrix ludorum, while Prince-Harry Joseph of Victoria took the junior victor ludorum title, competing in every event from 100 to 1 500 as well as in the field.
Another familiar face on the track was Elizabeth’s Jaria Hoyte who transferred from Deighton Griffith School. She won the Under-15 Girls’ 100m (13.20), 200 (27.03) and clocked 62.76 in the 400 metres.
HONOUR ROLL:
Division Champions
Under-13 Girls: Kiana Russell (Anne) 61 points
Under-13 Boys: Ky-Mani Trotman (Elizabeth) 42
Under-15 Girls: Kali Grant (Boadicea) 52
Under-15 Boys: Prince-Harry Joseph (Victoria) 54
Under-17 Girls: Ayana Morgan (Boadicea) 53
Under-17 Boys: Brien Best (Victoria) 62
Under-20 Girls: Chazelle Cumberbatch (Victoria) 74
Under-20 Boys: Jabari Branford (Anne) 56
Junior victrix ludorum: Kiana Russell
Junior victor ludorum: Prince-Harry Joseph
Senior victrix ludorum: Chazelle Cumberbatch
Senior victor ludorum: Brien Best
Final points: 1. Elizabeth 1034.5, 2. Anne 920, 3. Victoria 839, 4. Boadicea 718.5
Position last five years at BSSAC
Girls: 2007 – 128 points, 5th; 2008 – 184.5 points, 3rd; 2009 – 226 points, 2nd; 2010 – 191 points, 3rd; 2011 – 220 points, 3rd.
Boys: 2007 – 84 points, 12th; 2008 – 162.5 points, 5th; 2009 – 80.5 points, 10th; 2010 – 125 points, 6th; 2011 – 64 points, 11th.
