Only a handful of athletes and parents turned out for the first Amateur Athletic Association’s Multi-Event Trials on Saturday at the National Stadium, hardly the atmosphere for top performances.
In the Under-15 division, five boys and six girls were registered, but only four boys and three girls turned up to compete. Half of the eight Under-13 girls never showed, but all 11 of the boys started the event.
Wearing a black arm band as a mark of respect for the late coach Anthony Lovell who was laid to rest on the same day, Ramarco Thompson of Freedom Striders led the Under-15 Boys’ heptathlon with 2 027 points after the first three events. Mario Burke (1 873) and Shem Forde (1 622) of the High Performance Programme took the next two places, with Tyrell Cummins of Rising Stars fourth with 1 172 points.
Burke won both the 80m dash (9.2 seconds, hand timed) and the shot put (10.68 metres), but Thompson had a superior high jump performance, clearing 1.80m to Burke’s and Forde’s 1.55m.
Queen’s College athletes were leading the next three divisions. Allana Ince was out front among the Under-15 Girls with 1 282 points after wins in the 80m (10.9h), high jump (1.35m) and the shot put (5.29m). Rising Stars’ Elsie Moffard was second with 1 147 points and Krista Maloney of BC Trac third with 917.
Under-13 Boys’ dash
Ryan Vickers won the Under-13 Boys’ 60m dash in 8.2 seconds (hand timed) and the baseball throw with 51.30m. He was third in the long jump with 4.14m to collect 1 306 points. Ajani Ince, winner of the long jump with 4.52 metres, was second with 1 261 points and Hasani Lowe of BC Trac third with 1 134.
In the Under-13 division, Cristanna McConney of Queen’s College was the leader with 1 645 points. The Inter-School Sports victrix ludorum won the 60m dash in 7.9 seconds (hand timed). She was below her best of 5.19m with 4.60m in the long jump which was still good for the win and was second in the baseball throw with 25.29 metres.
Tameka Jordan of Rising Stars, winner of the baseball throw with 30.21m, was second with 1 404 points, followed by Ranicha Sargeant of BC Trac with 1 215 and Rosette Hoyte of Rising Stars three points adrift.
The trials were scheduled to conclude yesterday. The second trial is scheduled for June 18 and 19, with athletes vying for places on the team for the Central American and Caribbean Age Group Championships in the British Virgin Islands on July 1 and 2.
