St Alban’s and St Giles were crowned the new kings and queens of Primary Schools track and field for the first time today at the Usain Bolt Stadium.
The boys from St James, led by Shamari “Super Mari” Addison and the St Giles girls, with twin sisters, Tia and Tania at the forefront, took the titles in this year’s National Primary Schools Athletics Championships (NAPSAC) at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex.
St Alban’s finished with 126 points, forcing an improved St Cyprian’s to settle for second place on 100 points with Wilkie Cumberbatch third on 75.
St Giles, after finishing second in the last two years, were blazing and hot as they took the no. 1 spot with 109 points. Former queens West Terrace were second on 68 with Eden Lodge third on 67.
It was a twin attack from the Applewhaite siblings as they swept the top two positions in both the Under-11 Girls’ 100 and 200 metres. Tia (14.21) sprinted away from Tania (14.23) in 100 and the 200, when they clocked 28.90 and 29.23 seconds respectively. Tia also won the long jump with a leap of 4.35 metres.
Tania, with a record-setting run of 46.39 seconds, gave St Giles more points by triumphing in the Under-11 Girls’ 300 from Aniya Nurse (47.87) of Hillaby Turner’s Hall.
The 10-year-old Addison was at the heart of St Albans’ with victory in the Under-13 Boys’ 200 metres in 26.19 as he forced St Cyprian’s Amari Forde and Jayden Greene to settle for silver and bronze with the same time of 26.32 seconds.
Addison also came fifth in the 400, won by St Stephen’s Ziko Rogers (1:00.85) from Bay Primary’s Jalon Howell (1:01.70).
But Addison, who hails from Risk Road in Fitts Village, St James wasn’t finished and climaxed St Alban’s historic boys’ title by joining forces with Omari Belgrave, Najee Haynes and Riched Cumberbatch to anchor the Under-13 Boys’ 4×100-metre relay team to victory in 54.25 seconds.
