THE TIMES weren’t fast but Barbados’ next generation of athletes got some much needed competition at the Young Olympians Classic at the National Stadium yesterday.
With Mario Burke, Rivaldo Leacock and Levi Cadogan competing in the Bahamas on the same day, it was the turn of other runners to take the spotlight.
Last year’s Under-17 CARIFTA Games selectees Ramarco Thompson, Michael Nicholls, Tristan Evelyn and Tianna Bowen all won their respective races.
Freedom Striaders’ Thompson, in his second outing for the season, staved off twin brothers Akeem and Romario Marshall, who challenged as the runners came off the bend for the home stretch with a strong finish to take the Under-18 boys’ 400 metres in 50.16 seconds. Akeem was second in 51.06 and his sibling Romario was third in the same time.
Rising Stars’ Bowen clocked 59.80 to win the girls’ race from Freedom Striders’ Akilah Blackman (1:01.64) while Evelyn (12.12), also of Rising Stars, took the Under-18 girls’ 100 metres with Elite Distance’s Danae Gill (12.63) chasing her home.
The Under-18 boys’ race was also comfortably won by Kentone Browne (11.14) from his Pacers’ clubmate Rico Griffith (11.61).
Nicholls, also of Freedom Striders, won both the 100 and 400-metre Under-18 boys’ hurdles in 14.07 and 56.96 seconds from clubmate Juwan Augustin-Mayers, who had times of 14.99 and 58.07.
Freedom Striaders’ Anika Blackman (1:10.43) cruised to a facile victory in the Under-11 girls’ 400 metres while Mikhail Carvalho (1:05.82) took the boys’ race from the speedy Savion Hoyte (1:06.65) after both won their heats in the timed final event.
Rising Stars’ Rosette Hoyte (1:01.34) was unchallenged in winning the Under-15 girls’ 400 metres while BC Trac’s Hasani Lowe (54.53) and Nathan Ferguson (55.45) each won their heats in the Under-15 boys’ quarter-mile for the top-two positions.
The Lodge’s David Yearwood was a runaway winner in the Under-18 boys’ 1500 metres in 4:40.52 minutes while Pacers’ Shane Thorne (3:54.31) prevailed over Elite Distance’s Kai Alleyne (3:56.31) in the Under-15 boys’ 1200 metres. Salisha Hope (5:07.32) was the winner of the Under-15 girls’ 1200 metres.
Jahlarni Toney (2:44.68) won the Under-13 boys’ 800 metres and The Lodge’s Ashley Weekes (1:54.61) triumphed in the Under-13 girls’ 600 metres, overtaking early leader Acacia Small (2:02.29) of Rising Stars.
Dania Haynes of Rising Stars won the Under-11 girls’ 100 metres in 14.35 seconds, faster than Under-13 boys’ winner Sean Raphael of Elite Distance, who clocked 14.40 metres.
Off the track, Freedom Striders’ Yuriko Yearwood pipped clubmate Ashantia Phillips by virtue of fewer knock-downs after both cleared the bar at 1:52 metres in the Under-18 girls’ high jump.
Brandon Hope won the Under-17 boys’ high jump, clearing 1.75 metres.
Princess Margaret’s Donnel Sylvester took the Under-15 boys’ discus with a throw of 28.23 metres while Ajani Haddock’s leap of 5.16 metres.
