WHEN Barney Brathwaite stepped onto the track for the National Senior Games, he had no equal.
The same could be said when he left the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Saturday night.
Brathwaite was the toast of the town, walking away with five gold medals along with the coveted Most Outstanding Male Track And Field Athlete and Most Outstanding Track And Field Athlete awards when the National Senior Games hosted their 11th Awards Ceremony.
Competing in the 75 to 79 age category, he recorded victories in the 50-metre dash, 100, 200, 400, and the five-kilometre run to finish with a maximum 50 points, just edging out 50 to 54 category competitor Atherley Burrowes with 48 points, for the top prize.
Brathwaite also broke three records in the process.
In the women’s division, Ainsley Lovell and Brenda Farley tied for the Most Outstanding Female Track And Field Athlete Award.
?Both women finished with the maximum 50 points, with Lovell capturing the 55 to 59 title and Farley the 75 to 79.
Lovell won gold in the 200, 400, 800, 1500 and 5K run, while Farley copped first places in the 50, 100, 200, 400-metre and 5K run. Both athletes set two new records in their respective divisions.
During the ceremony, Acting Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development Patrick Todd praised the athletes for their achievements, applauding them for their efforts as they sought to age actively.
He said it was especially pleasing to see an increase in the number of entries in the 40 to 49 age group, which he referred to as the forerunner to the senior stage, which commences at age 50.
Todd also revealed that there had been some complaints as to the length of the meet, but said the ministry was currently reviewing the matter in order to determine what adjustments needed to be made to the programme.?
