THRILLING FINISH: Liann Husbands (left) nosing out Erica Griffith on the line in the under-17 girls 200 metres.

by MIKE KING

A CLEAR-CUT MARGIN. That's the way Anne (Yellow) House dethroned Boadicea (Blue) as set champions of The St Michael School, sprinting to the title 80 points clear of their nearest challengers at the National Stadium, yesterday.

The new champions, spearheaded by senior victrix ludorum Tamisha Flatts, collected 956.5 points, well clear of second placed Elizabeth House (876.5).

Boadicea House, the champions for the last four years, were third with 823.5 points. Victoria House were non-factors and were a distant fourth and last with 616.5 points.

Flatts, competing in the Under-20 division, did the sprint double, racing to a time of 13.75 secs in the 100-metre dash and crossing the line in 28.36 secs in the 200. She also led the way in the discus and swept both the high and long jumps.

Huge leap

Her leap in the sandpit was measured at 4.53 metres, easily the farthest on the day, but still well clear of the record set by Presteen Sobers, nearly 40 years ago. Sobers' mark of 5.56 metres established back in 1969, remains the longest standing record in the school.

Five records were smashed, and one of the new record-holders was senior victor ludorum Dwight Ellie, a brother of former national junior athlete, Astrid Ellie. Dwight, a product of Elizabeth House, running in the Under-20 division, made his mark in the 400 metres, posting a time of 51.09 secs.

He won every event from the 100 to the 800 metres and was second in the 1 500 metres. His times were 11.64 in the 100, 23.14 in the 200, 2:19.79 in the 800 and 5:05.69 in the 1 500. If that was not enough, he prevailed in the high jump (1.65 metres) and long jump (5.66).

Kashawn Hall of Elziabeth House sailed over the bar at 1.40 metres to break the Under-13 Boys' record for the event which had been held by Julian Farley of Boadicea since 1986.

The Under-17 Boys' high jump record also went by the wayside. Darren Hunte of Boadicea, erased the old mark which stood since 1999,
by going over the bar at 1.79 metres.

Everton Greenidge is the fastest boy in the school. Greenidge, who holds all the sprint records in the Under-15 division, ruled the track
in the Under-17 class.

He toyed with the opposition in the 100 (11.43), 200 (23.03) and 400 (52.32). However, he had to settle for second spot in the
800, coming home in two mins, 27.92 secs.

Under-13 girl Akela Taylor of Elizabeth House, was the junior victrix ludorum, with 66 points behind victories in the 100, 200, 400, 800 and long jump.

The top junior boy was Luke Archer of Anne House, who captured the 400 metres and record second places in the 800 metres, long jump, and shot putt. He amassed 41 points.

Erica Griffith of Anne House placed her name in the record books with a time of one minute, 1.06 secs in the Division 2 Girls' 400 metres. Her house-mate, Jacinda Ifill also turned over a new leaf by hurling the javelin 32.46 metres in the Girls' Division 1.

Alicia Best caught the eye of fans in the Division 3 Girls with the manner in which she won in the 100 and 200, and swept the high and long jumps.