Belmont Primary students Tasheana Lynch and Rashon Yorke have exited on top after riding unbeaten at the 2010 National Sports Council BMX Primary Schools’ Cycling Championships at Bushy Park on Monday.
Lynch and Yorke were the toast of the 10-and-over division, winning both the 1 200 metres and 500m sprint.
Both are 11 years old and were in their last competition.
Lynch has ridden unbeaten for the past three years, and this year she hardly broke a sweat in either event, leading from start to finish. Joking with organiser Wayne Robinson during the presentation awards, she vowed to be back another year.
In the one-lap 1 200 metres, she cruised home in 2.51 minutes and teammate Keishanna Kippins, up from the 9-and-under division, came out of the pack to take second in 2.59.
The sprint was more like a cruise for Lynch in the 500M. Still unchallenged, she led the field home in single file in 1.16, while Kippins (1.20) outsprinted Bay’s Dishonna Howell (1.22) to take second spot.
Yorke is a member of the Perryman cycling family and was put on a saddle while children his age were still learning to walk. He outsprinted St Giles’ Daviere Grimes to take both titles in the boys’ division, emerging from the shadow of the bigger and stronger Tremaine Forde-Catwell who is now at The Lester Vaughan School.
His younger brother Hakeem Perryman, a finalist in the nine and under division, will carry on the legacy.
Grimes took the challenge to Yorke, trying to get the jump on him by going out early in the 1200M. Slowly, Yorke reeled him in, but Grimes retook the lead in the hill to the east, heading towards the finish.
Yorke kept pace and like older riders, when one moved the other responded making it difficult to get any separation. But there was always the feeling that Yorke was the stronger rider. They pulled abreast of each other and just as Yorke put down his head to sprint, Grimes raised his and eased off the pedals, conceding defeat.
Yorke won in 2.30, Grimes coursing in three seconds later.
The 500M sprint had a similar finish, with Grimes once again giving up instead of forcing Yorke to fight for the victory.
Rashonda Hoyte of Mount Tabor was also a double crown champion in the girls’ nine-and-under division. After a fall in the heats of the 1000m, she got back on the bike and rode to victory in 2.26 minutes, followed by the Belmont duo of Nakaila Grimes and Rashonna Coombs.
The 500M was also an easy win in 1.22 minutes, followed by Bay Primary riders Nalo Reid (1.26) and Kerina Small (1.30).
The honours were shared in the boys’ division by Mario Elliott of St Judes and Bay Primary’s Ngozi Reid. Elliott, the younger brother of national Under-16 netball player Marissa Elliott, passed Obi Yearwood of Grantley Prescod (2.03) at the half-way mark, coming home unchallenged in two minutes flat in the 1000M. St Stephen’s Kevin Allsopp was third in 2.04.
Reid proved to be the better sprinter over 500m, winning in 1.05; two seconds ahead of Elliott and three faster than St Giles’ Renaldo Bailey.
Belmont girls completed a hat-trick of titles with 124 points. Bay Primary were second with 92 points and St Giles third with 59.
St Giles were boys’ champions for the second successive year, wrapping up the title with 92 points. Belmont were second with 74 points, six ahead of Grantley Prescod Primary.
The annual championships continue to grow with more than 130 riders registered to take part this year. Hilda Skeene, Reynold Weekes and Half Moon Fort Primary Schools competed for the first time.
Regulars St Catherine, Workman and West Terrace were absent, while Luther Thorne were competing in the finals of the Herman Griffith Primary Schools’ Cricket Competition.
