Almost 20 athletes left the National Stadium last Saturday night celebrating the records they set at the 3rd Annual Joseph Payne Memorial Track and Field and Cycling Classic.
However, for sprint hurdler Shakera Hall, the absence of the wind gauge meant her performance in the Under-20 girls’ 100mh won’t be recognized as a qualifying mark for the CARIFTA Games.
Hall was the class act in the race, smoothly accelerating from the field and sailing over the hurdles in 14.22 seconds, inside the 14.30 required and just shy of the 14.20 for the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships.
Tristan Whitehall, who has already qualified, showed his consistency with 16.28m in the shot put.
There were no other qualifiers on the track although there were some encouraging performances from Ramarco Thompson with a record 50.98 in the Under-17 boys’ 400 metres; Mario Burke, also with a record 10.9 in the Under-17 boys’ 100 metres and Tristan Evelyn with a new personal best of 12 seconds flat in the girls’ race.
Shavonte Bradshaw was unlucky, just seven centimetres short of the Under-20 girls’ javelin standard (41.00) with a record 40.93 metres.
The men’s 400 metres went to Christopher Davis in 49.44 seconds in the first heat and Kion Joseph was second overall in 49.92 in the final one.Former Foundation School quarter-miler Sharon Larrier made a return to the track after a two-year break, and she dismissed the women to take that race in a record 56.67 seconds.
With the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) Games later this year, the younger athletes also have something to strive for and they put on quite a show.
Rosette Hoyte won the Under-13 girls’ 100 metres in 13.17, down from the 13.60 by Sherise Christmas. Shontae Cole was also on record pace in 13.37.
In the first heat of the boys’ race, Jamahl Burke (12.96) just nosed Matthew Clarke (13.02) to break Joash Best’s 13.17. But it was Fabian Leon with 12.83 seconds in the third heat who now holds the mark.
Ajani Haddock won the Under-11 boys’ 200 in 1 record 27.10 and Rishuanna Padmore the girls’ race in 29.68
Tiana Bowen won the Under-15 girls’ 400m in a record 59.67 and Rivaldo Leacock stopped the clock in 53.79 to take the boys’ race from Shem Forde (57.13).
Best did the double in the Under-15 division, winning the 100 metres in 11.54 and the half-lap in 23.81. Timeka Jordan won the girls’ 200 in a record 25.97.
Misha Nelson (4.10) and Jude Miller (3.97) won the Under-11 long jump, the former with a record.Jerome Blackett won the 5K in 17:21, two minutes ahead of the bare-footed Hakeem Newton (19:20). Gina Hart led the women home in 24:28 with Paulina Valencia second in 25:41.
There was also cycling, Segway polo, a well-received demonstration from the radio operated cars as well as a bodybuilding and fitness segment.
