SET C’S SADA WILLIAMS might have stolen the show yesterday at the National Stadium, but for the ninth year in a row, it was Set B which took the overall title at the Coleridge & Parry School’s (CP) Inter-House Track and Field Championships.
With an “unassailable” lead at the start of the day, Set B finished on 808 points, ahead of Set F (652) and Set C on 445. Set A were fourth with 395 points, followed by Set D and Set E on 331 and 327 points, respectively.
CP’s world-class and regional athletes –Janeil Craigg, Nicoliai Bovelle, Shakera Hall and Raheem Skinner – have all moved on, but Williams was one of several stepping up in a big way to fill the breach.
In her very first year in the Under-20 division, Williams broke two long-standing individual records. She clocked 24.64 seconds to erase Lyn-Marie Cox’s 2002 mark of 25.14 seconds in the 200 metres and 57.64 in the 400 metres, dipping under the old mark of 58 seconds flat.
That record had stood for 28 years, set by Jacqueline Benn back in 1986.
She crossed the line on the anchor leg of the sprint medley in 2:00.64 and did 12.30 seconds in the 100, just outside Genna Williams’ 12.26, also set in 2002. She finished with 70 points to take senior victrix ludorum honours.
The other records to fall were set by Set B in the senior boys’ 4×400 with 3:50.12 and Set E’s Under-13 boys’ 4x100m relay team which did 59.63 seconds.
Equally impressive was Brendon Hoyte, who in his first year in the Under-17 division, won the 100 metres (11.87), 200 (23.16) and 400 (54.50). He was chased to the line every step of the way by senior victor ludorum Anderson Greaves of Set C who did 12.07 in the 100 and 24 seconds flat in the 200. Sherise Christmas of Set D won the Under-17 girls’ 100m in 13.56 and Dayeann Alleyne the 200 in 29.32 seconds.
It was a smaller field in the boys’ Under-20 division where Atiba Best of Set B did the sprint double in 11.57 and 23.58 seconds, respectively and Set F’s Kimar Hinds won the 400 in 56.55.
Among the younger athletes, Justin Dixon of Set E stood out in the Under-13 division, winning the 100 (14.20) from housemate Jaydee Lowe (14.26). Set B’s Keon Cumberbatch turned the tables in the 200, clocking 29.21 to Dixon’s 29.44.
Set E’s Shashamanne Jones did the Under-13 girls’ sprint double in 15.11 and 31.61, while Tamia Battershield of Set A clocked 27.53 and 1:04.11 for her victories in the 200 and 400m.
Torian Waldron of Set B had to play second fiddle to Set A’s Rasheeme Griffith after moving up to the Under-15 division. Griffith won the 100 and 200 in 12.49 and 24.75, with Waldron second in 13.07 and 25.91.
