Eight more records fell on the final day of the 2012 Powerade Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletic Championships, which saw both defending champions Springer Memorial and Queen’s College retaining the titles at the National Stadium.
Sonia Gaskin set her second record of the meet, showcasing excellent all-round form when she won the Under-20 Girls’ 800 metres in 2 minutes, 10.83 seconds.
Going it alone at the end after running away from Combermere’s Shani Adams, Gaskin’s time erased Adams’ old mark of 2:14.94 and the latter also slipped under the record with 2:13.53.
Gaskin was also the first female to win the combination of 400, 800, 1 500 and 3 000 metres and shared the victrix ludorum title with Springer Memorial’s Akela Jones, who won the Under-20 Girls’ 100 metres, as well as the long, high and triple jumps.
The other winners in the 800 metres were Akeilia Knight (2:23.94) of Combermere; Raheem Skinner (1:59.88) of Coleridge and Parry and The Lodge’s John Haynes with a time of 1:56.02.
Records also came fast and furious in the 400 metres. First up was Springer’s Rosette Hoyte with 59.74 seconds to erase Tiana Bowen’s 59.97 from last year. She also won the 100 metres in 13.42.
That change had hardly registered when Bowen of Lester Vaughan stopped the clock in 57.62 seconds to set a new mark in the Under-15 division, replacing the 57.76 set by Akela Taylor.
Also winning, but not on record pace, were Tramaine Smith of The Lodge School with 57.87 and Lester Vaughan’s Rivaldo Leacock with 50.58 in the Under-13 and Under-15 Boys’ division, respectively.
Leacock, the sole victor ludorum, had earlier shattered Ramarco Thompson’s time of 38.82 seconds in the 300-metre hurdles, stopping the clock in an unbelievable 38.03 seconds Hurdlers Kion Joseph and Tramaine Maloney have been at it all season, and Friday was no different except it produced the fastest time they have run all season, as well as a new championships record.
Maloney took over on the back and going into the bend before Joseph made his trademark late surge.
He crossed the finish line in 52.03 seconds, replacing Maloney’s old record of 52.63 set last year. The latter was second in 52.12.
In the Under-20 Girls’ race, Shakera Hall of Coleridge and Parry paced herself well and wasn’t drained on the home stretch. She held off Adams (61.54) to win in 60.69 seconds, inside Sade Sealy’s old record of 62.10.
Combermere’s Thompson took his third gold medal with another great run in the Under-17 Boys’ 400-metre hurdles, clocking 54.62 from Foundation’s Kristain Blades with 55.12.
After three false starts and two disqualifications, Danielle Scantlebury of The St Michael School turned in her best time of 44.60 seconds this season in winning the Under-17 Girls’ 300-metre hurdles.
Allana Ince of Queen’s College won the junior girls’ 200-metre hurdles in 28.74.
After being disqualified in the 300-metre hurdles, Springer’s Jalisa Burrowes came back with fire on her heels in a time of 25.16, upsetting pre-race favourite Leah Barker (25.23) of The St Michael School to win the 200 metres.
Mario Burke was a comfortable winner of the Under-17 Boys’ race in 21.86 from Thompson (22.22) and Garrison’s Ariel Jackson finished well after coming off the turn behind to take the girl’s race in 24.67.
“One-Two, One-Two” was the chant after The St Michael duo of Deon Hope and Levi Cadogan were first and second in the Under-20 Boys’ 200 metres in 21.83 and 21.86, reversing the order from the 100 metres.
Lodge’s Tramaine Smith completed the treble with 12.42 in the Under-13 Boys’ 100 metres. In the Under-15 division, Queen’s College’s Timeka Jordan got the jump on Danae Gill (12.79) of The Lodge School and won in 12.64 seconds, while St Michael’s Joash Best got a great start from Lane 1 and won in 11.62 seconds, denying Deighton Griffith’s Kentoine Browne (11.84) the double.
In the morning, Anya Williams of St George won the junior girls’ 1 500 metres in 5:2.66 minutes from Sherisa Codrington of Harrison College (5:24.62) and Alleyne’s Khobi Noel was the winner of the boys’ race in 4:37.37 seconds on the field.
Springer’s Winmalecia Bowen won the Under-17 Girls’ discus with 34.34 metres. Raphael Jordan of Queen’s College was looking to pull off another upset in the senior boys’ triple jump when he leaped 14.29, but on the last attempt Lester Vaughan’s Shamar Rock produced 14.45 metres to take the gold.
Lester Vaughan’s Under-13 boys also set a new record of 50.97 in the 4×100 metres relay and Adams had her third record as part of the girls’ 4×400 metres relay team with a new mark of 3:48.47.
