Jafari Toppin and Shaniqua Quintyne painted the track red yesterday.
Unfortunately, they both left the National Stadium feeling quite blue.
Despite victor and victrix ludorum performances from Red House’s Toppin and Quintyne, respectively, their efforts were still not enough to stop Blue House from running away with the overall title at the Garrison Secondary’s Powerade-sponsored Inter-House sports at the Waterford track.
Under blue, sunny skies which had earlier threatened to force a cancellation of the day’s activities due to a heavy downpour in the morning, Blue claimed their second title in three years, after having also won in 2010, amassing 841.45 points ahead of defending champions Red who finished second with 789 points.
Green House copped third position (612), followed by Yellow on 521.7, with White and Orange bringing up the rear with 368.25 and 295.60 points, respectively.
Having represented Barbados in cricket at the Under-15 level, Toppin, competing in the Under-17 division, showed that he was no sloth on the track either, with wins in the 200 metres (23.91), 400, 800, javelin, shot put and long jump.
He also placed second in the 100 and the discus, fourth in the 1500 and seventh in the high jump, to amass 83 points.It was obvious that Quintyne missed the chance to renew her annual rivalry with twin sister, Shaquana Quintyne, who is away on international duty for the West Indies Women’s cricket team.
She effortlessly dominated the Under-17 girls’ division, easing to wins in the 100 (13.55), 200 (27.16), 400 (1:05.69), 800 and long jump, also placing second in the high jump, fourth in the discus and 1500 and fifth in the 3 000, totalling 72 points.Quintyne’s class was so evident, that although she received the baton in third position, some 30 metres behind Yellow and Green in the 4×100 metres relay, she was still able to power to victory on the last leg, raising her hands in triumph as she crossed the line.
Blue House’s Under-13 athlete, Takara Bryan, also dominated that division, doing the double in 100 and 200, on her way to being crowned divisional champion.
Darius Jones of White House laid claim to being the fastest boy at the school. Competing in the Under-17 division, Jones clocked 11.68, well ahead of Toppin in 11.98, with Green’s T’Shane Lord coming in third.
Jones’ time was almost one second faster that the winner of the Under-20 boys’ race, Jervon Williams, who ran a pedestrian 12.58.Although dominating the day’s proceedings, Blue only managed to cop one other divisional title, that being Ruel Phillips, who was crowned the Under-20 boys’ champion.
